According to a press conference on April 27th, Washington State Governor Inslee announced that on the 5th of May, the state would begin partially re-opening its outdoor recreation areas. Washington will be reopening a number of state parks, public lands, boat launches, and reopen the state’s recreational fishing and hunting.
Washington’s recreational fishing has been closed since Inslee’s “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” initiatives were put in place, on April 6th, to slow the spread of COVID-19. Since that announcement, Washington anglers made their frustrated voices heard during several large protests against the recreational fishing bans.
The reopening of public access outdoor recreation areas is a part of Gov. Inslee’s plan to reopen the state in phases as opposed to all at once. He stated in a press conference that this reopening is a part of his second phase.
“This is not a return to normal today,” Inslee said. “The virus is too rampant to allow that.”
To read more about Washington’s plan to reopen, read this article from the Seattle Times.
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