Sport Crab Fishing Home  Licensing & Reporting Requirements Sport Crab Seasons for 2008 Crabbing Rules by Marine Area   Frequently Asked Questions  Crab Fishing Rule Changes Puget Sound Recreational Crabbing Quiz Fact Sheets Catch Record Cards Soft-shell Crab Historic Catches News Releases Summer crabbing season to open in Puget Sound - June 9, 2008 Five areas of Puget Sound reopen Nov. 1 for late-season crab fishing - Oct 26, 2007 Temporary catch record cards going out to Puget Sound crab fishers - May 31, 2007

Puget Sound Dungeness Crab Catch 1996-2007 The catch by recreational crabbers in Puget Sound more than doubled from 1996 to 2003 according to estimates by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Prior to 1996 recreational harvest estimates were not made. Since 2005 harvest shortfalls ave occurred in both the state and tribal Dungeness crab fisheries in Puget Sound. Season State Commercial State Recreational State Total Tribal Total Total Puget Sound 1996-97 2,273,923 806,034 3,079,957 2,962,207 6,042,164 1997-98 2,721,598 1,059,008 3,780,606 3,468,128 7,248,734 1998-99 1,991,975 1,114,128 3,106,103 3,292,531 6,398,634 1999-00 2,222,726 1,099,365 3,322,091 3,304,369 6,626,460 2000-01 2,546,692 1,453,823 4,000,515 4,132,222 8,132,737 2001-02 3,105,872 1,264,575 4,370,447 4,400,115 8,770,562 2002-03 2,857,854 1,339,073 4,196,927 4,172,496 8,369,423 2003-04 2,877,619 1,706,906 4,584,525 4,008,988 8,593,513 2004-05 2,406,932 1,620,847 4,027,779 3,997,755 8,025,534 2005-06 2,536,271 1,213,654 3,749,925 3,968,048 7,717,973 2006-07 2,643,160 1,219,551 3,862,711 3,956,735 7,819,446