Between Jan. 1, 2020 and Jan. 31, 2020 recreational crabbers will not be required to possess a Puget Sound Dungeness crab endorsement or record Dungeness crab retained on a Catch Record Card when crabbing in the portions of Puget Sound that are open after December 31. Teams of 2-4 "Speed-Crabbers" compete to catch the greatest amount of Dungeness crab in the shortest amount of time. The Puget Sound Puget Sound is one of the best places to go Dungeness crabbing in the United States. Fishery managers rely on catch information provided by fishers to manage the Puget Sound Dungeness crab fishery and plan future seasons. Following the rules, getting your permits and recording your catches helps keep Puget Sound crabbing safe and sustainable for everyone. Options range from an annual shellfish/seaweed license to combination fishing licenses, valid for a single day or up to a year. (2) aluminum skiffs: 24’ w/ 115 hp. Puget Sound Dungeness crab catch record card. By completing catch record cards, fishers play a vital role in maintaining sustainable harvest opportunities. Know the crabs and how to identify them. In addition, all sport crabbers -- regardless of age -- who fish for crab in Puget Sound must get a crab endorsement on their license carry and complete catch record cards to account for all Dungeness crab they catch. All Dungeness crabs caught in the late-season recreational fishery must be recorded immediately on winter catch record cards, which are valid through Dec. 31. Every Dungeness crab fisher plays a vital role in ensuring that sustainable fishing opportunities continue into the future. Any method which involves piercing the crab Know the difference between male and female crabs. They can be recognized by their blunt bumps on their carapace. Sport crabbers who fish for Dungeness crab in any area of Puget Sound after Sept. 2 must record their harvest on winter catch record cards, Childers said. Refer to Figure 2 in this brochure. For COVID-19-related closures, restrictions, and updates see the WDFW COVID-19/Coronavirus response page. Updated/Notes: 03/26/2020 - Kvichak Setnet Package includes: (2) permits, (3) sites North of Pederson Pt. A sub note on the WDFW Bring a pen to record you catch. Crab Rules Washington Fishing When harvesting Dungeness Crab in Puget Sound only, a catch record card (CRC) and a crab endorsement are required.Any harvest after Labor Day must be recorded on a winter CRC. All crabbers in Puget Sound waters are required to carry a Dungeness crab Catch Record Card (CRC). This has been my backyard for my whole life and hasn’t steered me wrong yet. All Dungeness crabs caught in the late-season recreational fishery must be recorded immediately on winter catch record cards, which are valid through Dec. 31. First capture in Puget Sound (2016): Westcott Bay, San Juan Island. All Dungeness crabs caught in the late-season recreational fishery must be recorded immediately on winter catch record cards, which are valid through Dec. 31. State fishing rules require that all sport crabbers licensed to fish for Dungeness crab in Puget Sound report the results on their winter Catch Record Card to WDFW. • Adult annual shellfish/seaweed license with Puget Sound crab endorsement = $26.15. If crabbers fail to return their catch card they will be required to pay a $10 fine before they can purchase another crab endorsement . In order to ensure that we have an accurate count of those individuals who harvest Dungeness Crab, the state legislature passed RCW 77-32-430, which establishes a three dollar endorsement fee for harvesting Dungeness Crab in all areas of Puget Sound. Only male Dungeness crab can be kept. Heads up, there’s no crabbing allowed in the Vashon/Quartermaster Harbor or South Puget Sound areas this year! ... 2019 Puget Sound Crab Season; Don’t miss out on tips and tricks! Different rules apply to Dungeness and Red rock crab. Public Testimony Summary JLARC I-900 Subcommittee, 2/17/2010 I-900 SAO Audit – Puget Sound Dungeness Crab Fishing Page 4 monitoring and accounting of the recreational effort. Olympia, WA 98504-3142. Puget Sound summer crab-fishing seasons, which get underway June 16 with an opening in two marine areas. Dungeness crab catch record cards are issued when a Puget Sound crab endorsement is obtained from any license vendor. Between Jan. 1, 2020 and Jan. 31, 2020 recreational crabbers will not be required to possess a Puget Sound Dungeness crab endorsement or record Dungeness crab retained on a Catch Record Card when crabbing in the portions of Puget Sound that are open after December 31st. The Dungeness crab fishing season will come to an end at 5 p.m. this Saturday (Dec. 31), and reports from open areas of Puget Sound and Hood Canal has been excellent in places. As far as location goes in Washington, there are quite a few places to go crabbing. Sport fishers who fail to carry and maintain a CRC are subject to a citation, which carries a fine of $80. A $10.00 penalty will be added to the cost of your next Puget Sound crab endorsement if you fail to either return your cards by mail or report your catch information on the Internet (https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov) by the deadlines printed on the card. The Puget Sound crab endorsement was self-imposed to ensure proper . Buy a Puget Sound Crab Endorsement if needed. The Puget Sound is well known for fantastic Dungeness and red rock crab. They also must return their catch record cards or report online even if they did not go crabbing or catch any crab. State law requires all recreational Dungeness crab fishers in Puget Sound to have a Dungeness crab endorsement and a current CRC. When properly maintained, these CRCs provide an up-to-date and ongoing account of each crabber's catch throughout a crabbing season. Crabbing is one of Puget Sound’s most popular recreational fisheries. All sport crabbers 15 years or older must carry a current Washington fishing license. Sound, a Puget Sound crab endorsement and a Catch Record Card (CRC) are re-quired. Fishery managers rely on individual catch record card reports to estimate recreational harvest and to set future crabbing opportunities. Puget Sound Speed-Crabbing is a competition where teams compete against one another to prove who is the greatest recreational crabber in Puget Sound. You will need a shell fishing permit with a crab endorsement which is available on their website or in some sporting goods stores. Adults are orange, red and purple in color, while juveniles are either mostly orange or have small blotches of red and purple. All Dungeness crab caught in the late-season recreational fishery must be recorded immediately on winter catch record cards, which are valid through Dec. 31. 23’ w/ 115 hp Yamaha, packs 5k lbs, extended gunwales and stern. According to the WDFW, Puget Sound Dungeness crabbing is scheduled to open July 2. One CRC will be valid for the summer fishing season June through Labor Day. Dungeness crab grow larger, have slender claws, and white claw tips. Dungeness crab catch record cards are issued when a Puget Sound crab endorsement is obtained from any license vendor. In 2016, the sport Puget Sound crab endorsement was 223,443 down from 232,621 in 2015. One- to three-day licenses available (fishhunt.dfw. Crabbers have several options for reporting their catch information. *A more comprehensive quiz will be coming soon, and it will be a great resource for all Puget Sound crabbers. Failure to return your CRC card or report the catch online by the deadlines printed on the card will result in a $10 penalty on your next crab endorsement purchase. You must have a Puget Sound Dungeness crab endorsement to harvest Dungeness crab from Puget Sound. Report crab catch All Puget Sound marine areas are now closed to recreational crab fishing, and sport crabbers will have through Feb. 1 to report their results for the winter season. All Puget Sound marine areas are now closed to recreational crab fishing, and sport crabbers will have through Feb. 1 to report their results for the winter season. CRCs must be reported online or returned to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife by mailing it to the address printed on the card. Youth anglers are issued crab endorsements and CRCs at no charge. The deadline for returning summer and winter catch cards is printed on each catch card. The Puget Sound king crab, Lopholithodes mandtii, is a species of king crab which inhabits the oceans of the Pacific coast of North America from Alaska to central California. Crab fishers must have a Puget Sound Dungeness crab endorsement to harvest Dungeness crabs from Puget Sound. WDFW CRC Unit, South Puget Sound Dungeness Crab Spots. The second CRC will be valid for a fall/winter fishing season, defined as … Puget Sound Dungeness Crab Opens July 2 Puget Sound Halibut 2015 fishing is now in the record books. Crabbers who fail to file their catch reports on time will face a $10 fine when they purchase a 2014 Puget Sound crab endorsement. All of Marine Area 9 EXCEPT waters north of the Hood Canal bridge to a line connecting Olele Point and Foulweather Bluff. You must have a Puget Sound Dungeness crab endorsement to harvest Dungeness crab from Puget Sound. Marine areas 4 (Neah Bay – East of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line) and 5 (Sekiu) open for sport crabbing Saturday, June 16. Resident, Non-Resident, Resident Senior, Youth, Resident Disabled, Non-Resident Disabled Veteran: $8.75 Puget Sound Crab Endorsement … Crab fishers must have a Puget Sound Dungeness crab endorsement to harvest Dungeness crabs from Puget Sound. The first European green crab confirmed in Puget Sound was captured in August 2016 by Crab Team volunteers. For COVID-19-related closures, restrictions, and updates see the WDFW COVID-19/Coronavirus response page. Our family’s favorite boats to take out crabbing in our local waters are the 15′ Lobster Boat and the 12′ Point Defiance. Turn in the 10 largest Dungeness you catch. “During the odd-numbered years license endorsement sale seems to be higher due to pink salmon run, and I assume it will go up this year,” Velasquez said. OLYMPIA - Puget Sound marine areas currently open for recreational winter crabbing will close at 5 p.m. on Dec. 31, after which all sport crabbers licensed to fish for crab in the Sound will have until Feb. 1 … “Crab endorsement … The second CRC will be valid for a fall/winter fishing season, defined as the day after Labor Day through December 31. • Crab pots/traps range from about $25 to $100+. Each year, sport fishers catch more than 1.5 million pounds of Dungeness crab, using pots, ring nets, and – in the case of wade and dive fishers – their bare hands. Best of all was the effort by Puget Sound I buy the Fish Washington Combo and get everything for a discounted rate. wa.gov). Waters north of the Hood Canal bridge to a line connecting Olele Point and Foulweather Bluff. All Dungeness crab caught in the late-season recreational fishery must be recorded immediately on winter catch record cards, which are valid through Dec. 31. Winter Catch Record Cards are available at any vendor after Aug. 15th of each year. This region is defined as Marine Area 11 which is the waters that surround Vashon Island south to the Tacoma Narrows Bridge and all the waters south of the bridge is considered Marine Area 13. In addition to knowing and following the fishing rules, one of the most important responsibilities crabbers have as stewards of the resource is to comply with catch record card (CRC) requirements. One CRC will be valid for the summer fishing season June through Labor Day. Fishing Equipment for Washington. However, remember Puget Sound Lingcod goes to June 15 and the next big thing in Puget Sound is Dungeness crabbing. With so many unique fisheries, there is no one rod and reel setup, or fishing line, or tackle that will fit every need. Fishing for salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, halibut or Dungeness crab; Hunting deer, elk, bear, cougar or turkey; Parking in a WDFW access area (Discover Pass or Vehicle Access Pass) You will need to visit a Washington authorized license sales location to obtain required license documents sooner. Recent changes in the reporting system now in effect: Catch record cards must be returned to WDFW at the end of both the summer and fall/winter seasons. All Dungeness crab kept must be recorded on your CRC immediately in ink. Optional licenses include Puget Sound Crab Endorsement, Razor Clam Only License, and Two-Pole Endorsement. State biologists have become increasingly concerned about the inaccuracies of our Dungeness Crab harvest reporting system. ... People of all ages who have a crab endorsement and received a catch record card are required to make a report even if they did not go crabbing or catch any crab. The reporting rate from the recent summer 2020 season dropped relative to previous years, the department reported. Get a bonus for finishing early and get penalized for finishing late. Before you go, make sure you have the proper license (and the proper catch record card, if you're crabbing for Dungeness crab in Puget Sound), and learn more about each of the types of crab you can catch and keep in Washington waters: Learn about how to avoid losing your gear while on the water. The Puget Sound Commercial Crab Fishery has been part of the heritage of Washington State since around 1848.Hard working, independent fishermen harvesting crab to be purchased and consumed by the general public as well as protecting the resource for over one hundred years knowing that good stewardship and conservation is the key to the future of the resource. You’ll need a shellfish license with the optional crab endorsement. The legal minimum size for male Dungeness crab in Puget Sound is 6-1/4 inches. In addition, all sport crabbers -- regardless of age -- who fish for crab in Puget Sound must get a crab endorsement on their license carry and complete catch record cards to account for all Dungeness crab they catch. PO Box 43142, Yamaha, packs 6k lbs, dual rollers powered by Honda power pack. They can report online, drop the cards off at a WDFW regional office, or mail them to: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Youth anglers under the age of 15 are not required to purchase a fishing license, however, they are required to have a Puget Sound crab endorsement and maintain a CRC. Crab Team and WDFW subsequently mounted a 2-day extensive trapping effort to assess whether other sites in the area had any evidence of green crab. They also must return their catch record cards or report online even if they did not go crabbing or catch any crab. Cards must be reported online or returned whether or not the cardholder caught or fished for crab during the season. 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