Hood Canal Spot Shrimp Season Opens May 10 — and a Wetlands Restoration Is Reshaping Belfair’s Shoreline
Mason County’s outdoor calendar heats up this May with two significant developments along Hood Canal: the first spot shrimp opening of the year arrives Saturday, May 10, giving local shrimpers one of the most anticipated mornings on the water, while just north in Belfair, a long-running restoration project at the Mary E. Theler Wetlands Nature Preserve is entering its most visible phase yet — the construction of a 1,200-foot elevated boardwalk through a newly rehabilitated salt marsh.
Both stories speak to what makes Hood Canal worth protecting and celebrating: the fishery that feeds families across the county, and the habitat that makes those fisheries possible in the first place.
Spot Shrimp Season: Hood Canal Gets the First Opener
For recreational shrimpers, Marine Area 12 — Hood Canal — is the place to be on the morning of May 10. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has confirmed that Hood Canal will receive an early opportunity this year, opening a full two weeks before most of the rest of Puget Sound, where the broader season begins May 24.
The 2026 Marine Area 12 schedule runs on specific dates: May 10, May 24, May 26, June 7, and June 21. Each opening is tightly windowed — anglers may fish from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. only. WDFW has noted that additional dates may be announced later in the season depending on stock assessments.
The daily limit remains 80 spot shrimp per licensed fisher, with a combined total weight limit of 10 pounds (whole shrimp) for all shrimp species. Shrimpers who retain only spot shrimp may remove and discard the heads while still on the water; those retaining any other shrimp species must keep the heads until they are back on shore to allow compliance verification with the weight limit.
For Mason County families, the May 10 opener is more than a fishing trip — it is an early-summer tradition along the entire Hood Canal corridor, from Hoodsport down through Union and north toward Belfair. Spot shrimp, known for their rich, sweet flavor, are among the most prized recreational catches in the state. Demand for the limited openings is high, and experienced shrimpers typically arrive early to launch before the 9 a.m. window.
Before heading out, anglers should confirm current rules at wdfw.wa.gov, as emergency closures and rule changes can occur on short notice based on stock conditions. A valid Washington recreational fishing license is required. The WDFW hotline and website are the definitive sources for any last-minute schedule adjustments.
Theler Wetlands: A 1,200-Foot Boardwalk Is Coming to Belfair This Summer
A few miles north of Highway 3 in Belfair, a quieter but equally significant outdoor story is unfolding at the Mary E. Theler Wetlands Nature Preserve. This summer, WDFW and the Hood Canal Salmon Enhancement Group (HCSEG) will begin construction of a 1,200-foot elevated, piling-supported boardwalk through the heart of a newly restored estuary — the capstone of a multi-year effort to bring Hood Canal summer chum salmon back to the Union River system.
The Theler Wetlands restoration project has been restoring approximately 7 acres of estuarine wetland habitat at the southeast end of Hood Canal. Work that concluded in fall 2025 included removing a failing levee, replacing a 12-inch metal culvert with a 15-foot-wide concrete box culvert, digging a new sinuous tidal channel, and raising a section of Northeast Roessel Road to serve as a set-back levee. The goal: reconnect the tidal processes that were disrupted when the wetlands were diked decades ago.
Hood Canal summer chum salmon are listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act. The Theler Wetlands sit at the mouth of the Union River, which is critical spawning and rearing habitat for that run. By expanding tidal connectivity, the restoration creates the shallow, food-rich, low-salinity estuarine conditions that juvenile summer chum need to grow before entering Hood Canal.
The summer 2026 boardwalk construction will be the project’s most visible phase for the public. The elevated structure — built in the footprint of the removed levee — will reconnect the preserve’s currently fragmented trail network, giving visitors and birders full access to what will become a restored salt marsh. The Theler Wetlands is already one of Mason County’s most-visited nature spots, drawing birdwatchers, school groups, and families year-round. The new boardwalk will make the wetlands more accessible and complete the loop trail that has been partially closed during construction.
The preserve is located at 22871 NE SR-3 in Belfair, just off the highway before the town center. Visitors are welcome during daylight hours. For project updates and trail access status, check the HCSEG website at pnwsalmoncenter.org or WDFW’s habitat recovery pages.
What to Watch This Season
Taken together, these two stories reflect the dual outdoor identity of Hood Canal and Mason County’s shoreline: a working fishery used by thousands of families every spring and summer, underpinned by habitat restoration work that most people never see but everyone benefits from. The spot shrimp fishery depends on a healthy canal; the canal depends on functioning estuaries like the one being rebuilt at Theler.
For residents looking to get outside this May, both opportunities are close and accessible. The shrimp opener on May 10 is days away — time to get gear ready, check your license, and confirm the launch site. And when construction wraps at Theler Wetlands later this year, the newly completed boardwalk trail will be one of the more remarkable walks in all of Mason County: a path through restored tidal marsh, built where a levee used to be, beneath skies that — if the restoration takes hold — should one day carry kingfishers and herons back to a corner of Hood Canal that had been quiet for a very long time.
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