Winter Crab Season

[SomeSailor]

Any bets on when they'll announce this year's Winter Crab season?

It ran from Sept. 4 all the way to Jan. 2 last year.

[kirkster5]

I may be mistaken and I am not sure which marine area you are refering to but, at least marine area 10 re-opened for winter catch in november. It takes the WDFW about 6 weeks to compile the catch record information and then set (or not) the winter quota. Pretty sure any other area was/will be the same

[SomeSailor]

http://wdfw.wa.gov/do/newreal/release.php?id=dec3107a

NEWS RELEASE
WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091 <!-- RELEASE DATE AND CONTACT INFORMATION --> December 31, 2007
Contact: Rich Childers: 360-586-1498

<!-- RELEASE HEADLINE -->

<center> Puget Sound sport crabbing to close;
catch reports due for winter season

</center> <!-- BODY TEXT - BEGIN NEWS RELEASE -->

OLYMPIA - All areas of Puget Sound will close to recreational crab fishing at sunset Jan. 2, after which all sport crabbers licensed to fish for crab in the Sound will have 13 days to report their winter catch.
State fishing rules require that all sport crabbers submit catch reports for the winter season to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) by Jan. 15 - even if they did not catch any crab. The winter crab season runs from Sept. 4 to Jan. 2.
"Catch reports are an important tool in managing the Puget Sound crab fishery," said Rich Childers, shellfish policy lead for WDFW. "It’s important that we hear from everyone - including those who didn’t catch crab - because that information is part of the equation in estimating the annual catch."
To submit their catch reports, crabbers may either send their catch record card to WDFW by mail, or file their report on a special webpage on the department’s licensing website. Catch record cards may be mailed to WDFW CRC Unit, 600 Capitol Way N., Olympia, WA 98501-1091. The online reporting system will be available Jan. 2-15 at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/wdfw/puget_sound_crab_catch.html.
Sport crabbers who file their catch reports by the Jan. 15 deadline will be entered in a drawing for one of 10 free 2008 combination fishing licenses, which allow the holder to fish for a variety of freshwater and saltwater species.
The winter catch report is the second of two catch reports sport crabbers are required to file this year. Summer catch reports - new this year - gave fishery managers important information about the pace of the recreational crab catch through Labor Day, Childers said. Catch reports for the winter fishery will provide data though the end of the season, he said.
Although catch rates appeared to be down somewhat this year, Childers said he expects the harvest of Dungeness crab by Puget Sound sport crabbers to reach the annual recreational quota of 1.2 million pounds.
"Crabbing was better in some areas of Puget Sound this year than others, but most experienced crabbers were still able to get their daily limit of five crab," Childers said.
Childers said fishery managers were pleased that more than 66,000 sport crabbers complied with the new summer reporting requirement, but are hoping for an even better showing during the winter reporting period. In all, 210,000 people were licensed to fish for Dungeness crab in Puget Sound in 2007, he said.
"Our goal is that everyone licensed to fish for crab in Puget Sound will file catch reports," Childers said. "More data means greater accuracy when it comes to estimating the catch and developing future fishing seasons."

[Go Aweigh2452]

It would be nice to know when this year is OK... I ran out of crab and I'm not buying any. I'd rather burn $40 worth of gas, set my own traps for my daily limit... :eek:

[Eagle Lady]

It would be nice to know when this year is OK... I ran out of crab and I'm not buying any. I'd rather burn $40 worth of gas, set my own traps for my daily limit... :eek:

Same here..

Map shows which areas are (presently) open/closed:
http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/shelfish/crabreg/crabindex.shtml

[SomeSailor]

I'm more interested in the RE-opening than those that are open now. :)

[kirkster5]

Yeah, I know that the release is a bit confusing, no suprise here as it is from Wa state govt. The season last year technically could have started on the 4th of Sept as the 3rd was the last day of the summer season, but it did/does not open until the catch assesment from the summer season is tabulated and the state officially re-opens it. Again not trying to create in crabby feelings(a little crustacion humor) but I believe me when I tell you that you are looking to about november before it happens, at least in area 10.

[SomeSailor]

Yeah... I'm hoping for october, but November is probably closer.

I got a pot puller for the boat this year and can't wait to use it some more. :)

[kirkster5]

How are you mounting the thing? I ususally use my little 16' aluminum boat for crabbing/fishing. and have a downrigger mount on the thing. My Father-in-law just gave me his shrimp pot puller(small gas engine w/block and small arm. And I was wondering if you could use the downrigger mount. Its a scotty mount.

[SomeSailor]

Yeppers. It sits right on top of a Scotty mount. It uses the one bolt from the swivel mount too. It's a great gadget for pulling pots. I don't blink at setting them in 120 feet instead of the "normal" 45 or so.

I get much bigger crabs, and a better ratio of keepers at that depth.

[Go Aweigh2452]

$500 to $600 is a bit much for a puller... more "power to you" if you got one... Just can't justify that amount... time to check CL... next spring...

[SomeSailor]

It was $549 I think, but it's still one of the cheaper toys for a boat. AND... my back feels great even after pulling 6 pots a half dozen times each. :)

Nevermind the shrimp season!

[The Peddler]

With roughly a 33% compliance rate with Summer Season crab-catch reporting by the recreational crabbers, it's going to be difficult to for the DFW to adequately evaluate the summer catch and estimate the remaining quota for the winter season. Please encourage everyone you know that "Crabs" to report their catch. If the season will reopen, it'll likely be in late Oct/1st of Nov.

[SomeSailor]

Thanks for the heads-up. I notice you're from Olympia. Is this an inside scoop?

:D

[Pegasis]

They're probably severely shortening the season with many employees of the lazy B on strike.

[SomeSailor]

It's not like they'll be able to afford gas.

:shock:

[The Peddler]

Thanks for the heads-up. I notice you're from Olympia. Is this an inside scoop?:D

Nope.... Coincidence. I read a report that was published last week.

Here's an excerpt;

The following is information pertaining to the crab Catch Record Card and summer catch estimates:
A total of 210,893 crab endorsements were sold this season. Of these,
70,172 (33.2%) reported summer crab information in on-time. The
Department received 44,114 Internet reports and 26,264 returned cards.
Those two numbers added together come to 70,378, but 206 reported both online and returned their card. The rate of reporting on the Internet increased this year by 27% although the mail-in return rate dropped by
10%. Overall the rate of return (Internet and mail-in) only increased by
1.2% compared to last year. A total of 140,718 crabbers failed to
report and a telephone survey is currently being conducted on this
group. Final catch estimates should be available in two to three weeks.

[Go Aweigh2452]

WDFW NEWS RELEASE
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
http://wdfw.wa.gov/
October 24, 2008
Contact: Rich Childers, (360) 586-1498 ext. 400

Four areas of Puget Sound reopen
Nov. 1 for late-season crab fishing
OLYMPIA - Four marine areas of Puget Sound will reopen to recreational crab fishing Nov. 1, based on summer catch assessments by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) that show more crab are available for harvest.
Starting Nov. 1 at sunrise, marine areas 6 (eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca), 9 (Admiralty Inlet), 10 (Seattle/Bremerton) and 12 (Hood Canal) will reopen for sport crabbing seven days a week through Jan. 2, 2009.
Crab fishing will also remain open seven days a week through Jan. 2 in marine areas 4 (Neah Bay), 5 (Sekiu), and 13 (south Puget Sound), where the fishery has continued uninterrupted since June 18.
Sport crabbing will not reopen this year in Marine Area 7 (San Juan Islands), marine areas 8-1 and 8-2 east of Whidbey Island and Marine Area 11 (Tacoma/Vashon Island), where the summer catch reached the annual quota, said Rich Childers, WDFW shellfish policy coordinator.
"Our goal is to give crabbers as much opportunity to fish as possible, while remaining within the catch quotas," Childers said. "Catch assessments for the summer season helped us determine which areas we could open for a late-season fishery."
This is the second year that summer crab catch reports were required after Labor Day, with fall/winter reports due Jan. 2-15. The two-stage reporting system is designed to give fishery managers more accurate information about the recreational crab catch during the course of the season, Childers said.
Of the more than 210,000 crabbers licensed to fish for crab in Puget Sound, 70,378 complied with the September reporting requirement, including 43,919 who filed their catch reports on the reporting website. In calculating the catch-to-date, WDFW considered the direct reports from crabbers as well as phone surveys with 6,039 people who did not submit catch reports by the Sept. 15 deadline.
"The good news is that more people are complying overall, which has given us a lot more catch data to improve our estimates," Childers said. "However, we need more crabbers to report their catch before we can eliminate the phone surveys entirely."
Childers noted that all crabbers who submitted catch reports on time will be entered into a drawing for 10 free 2009 combination fishing licenses.
After Sept. 1, crabbers who fish for crab in Puget Sound should use their winter catch cards to record their catch, Childers said. These winter cards are valid until Jan. 2 and the late-season catch reports are due to WDFW by Jan. 15, 2009, after which another drawing will be held for free fishing licenses.
"It's important that people submit their reports, even if they didn't catch any crab," he said. "A report showing no crab caught is just as important in calculating the catch as one that shows lots of crab caught."
The daily catch limit in Puget Sound is five Dungeness crab, males only, in hard-shell condition with a minimum carapace width of 6¼ inches. In addition, fishers may catch six red rock crab of either sex per day, provided those crab measure at least 5 inches across. Additional information is available on the WDFW website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/<wbr>shelfish/crab/index.htm (http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/shelfish/crab/index.htm) .

[SomeSailor]

Yeah... the rat bastards aren't turning 8-1 / 8-2 back on this year. :(

Area 9 sucks for crabbing anyhow. I don't think I've ever caught any crab down that way. Oh well...

[wickus]

no SJ reopening, either.

it was a good summer, though.

[SomeSailor]

yeah... that bites.

Not sure if I'd drive down to Area 9 just to get them. Not much crabbing down that way.

Maybe after the blackmouth open, I'll soak some pots while chasing those guys. :(

[Play N Hookie II]

Yeah... the rat bastards aren't turning 8-1 / 8-2 back on this year. :(

Area 9 sucks for crabbing anyhow. I don't think I've ever caught any crab down that way. Oh well...

There are some just south of the Edmonds oil dock. Not worth the trip but I have dove the dock and seen people crabbing out there.

[Play N Hookie II]

yeah... that bites.

Not sure if I'd drive down to Area 9 just to get them. Not much crabbing down that way.

Maybe after the blackmouth open, I'll soak some pots while chasing those guys. :(

I am not going any further south of Gedney for blackmouth personally. But from the number of shakers this year it looks to be the only good run of the year?

[SomeSailor]

They're always a fair number off Possession, but you're right. The racetrack would be the best place I could think of or maybe up to Elger Bay.

[fishaman]

Area 9 is not that bad, you just have to put your traps a little bit deeper. Otherwise, the same places... south of Edmonds, north of Edmonds, west of Possession... Crab is there, it just takes some extra work to get it. We did fine during the summer season, and we did not aim at crabbing specifically, just dropped the pots on our way out, and picked them up after salmon fishing. And the only time we thought we lost the pots was when we came back at high tide and a lot of current... did not see any floats... got very upset... came back a day later, and the floats were showing right where we left them.

[Nehalennia]

Last Day for Crab is @ Sunset tonight.
Anyone heading out?

[SomeSailor]

Was thinking about it. Anyone wanna go?

[Nehalennia]

I would have but we moved my Dad into a Nursing home facility to begin Hospice care.

[Go Aweigh2452]

I would have but we moved my Dad into a Nursing home facility to begin Hospice care.

Todd, we are sorry to hear this news. Your dad is in our prayers.

[Randygh]

Todd--My Admiral and I ditto what Doug says. We lift up your dad, you, and your family in our prayers. God bless your dad and his family during this difficult time.

[SomeSailor]

Sorry to hear that also Todd. He'll be comfortable and well cared for there. We'll keep you all in our thoughts.

[Play N Hookie Admiral]

I would have but we moved my Dad into a Nursing home facility to begin Hospice care.

I hope thats for the best Todd and I understand that struggle. Our prayers are with you guys - hold strong.

[Nehalennia]

Thanks everyone
I didn't see this until now.
I posted a more detailed update here (http://iboatnw.com/forum/showthread.php?p=36938#post36938)

I really appreciate the thoughts and prayers.