General Policy Statement
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (Department) shall promote a healthy and sustainable population of Dungeness crab and work cooperatively with the Tribal Co-Managers in structuring management measures to ensure a healthy, sustainable resource and fishery that achieve Treaty/Non-treaty fair sharing of the harvestable resource.
The management intent is to provide for the economic viability of the coastal Dungeness crab resource, implement measures consistent with addressing entanglement risks to marine life pursuant to the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and the Marine Mammal Protection Act and for the Department to work collaboratively with partner state and federal agencies and fishery stakeholders to promote shared stewardship.
The Department will articulate goals, objectives, and strategies consistent with this policy and its guidelines through the Coastal Dungeness Crab Fishery Management Plan and Coastal Dungeness Crab Conservation Plan.
Policy Guidelines
- Protect the reproductive capacity of the stock.
- Protect Dungeness crab habitat.
- Achieve and maintain federal coverage for ESA listed marine mammal impacts in the coastal fishery.
- Investigate and consider climate-resilient management measures.
- Involve commercial and recreational fishing representatives in the management of the respective sectors of the fishery to address crab fishery issues.
- Adopt regulations which promote safe and orderly fisheries.
- Implement measures that ensure the safety and health of consumers and the public.
- Manage the fishery to maximize economic benefits from the Dungeness crab resource for the commercial sector while also providing recreational opportunities.
- Consistent with the legislative “even-flow” mandate, achieve high quality product and strive for a fair and equitable distribution of the impacts and benefits from management measures across commercial industry sectors.
- Provide administrative support for industry-led programs aimed at reducing fishing capacity (e.g., “buy-back”) and enhancing sustainability.
Public Input