Note: The following regulations are the opening emergency regulations for the 2017-2018 season. In-season emergency regulations will be posted on this site as they occur.
Puget Sound is home to two fleets of commercial vessels, Tribal and State. The State commercial crab fleet possesses about 248 licenses. The fishery is currently limited to this number of licenses, however current license holders may transfer an existing license to a new party. Information on Tribal fishing in Puget Sound is available through the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission.
Commercial Crab Fishery Information
The State emergency commercial fishery regulations:
Important Announcement:
Update regarding the Puget Sound State Commercial Crab fishery as of 08:05 AM, April 16th, 2018:
THE PS Commercial Crab Fishery is CLOSED for the Season
Region 3-3 East and Region 3-3 West CLOSED on Sunday, April 15, 2018 at 7:30 PM
Region 3-1 and Region 3-2 CLOSED March 31st, 2018 at 7:00 PM.
Region 1 CLOSED at 6:00 PM, March 7th, 2018.
Region 2 West CLOSED January 31st, 2018 at 5:30 PM.
Region 2 East CLOSED January 16th, 2018 at 5:30 PM..
The current pot limits are as follows.
- Region 3-3 East and 3-3 West are open with a pot limit of 50 pots per license.
- All remaining pot tags per license must be on board the vessel and immediately available for inspection.
10th Emergency Regulation for the 2017-2018 Puget Sound commercial crab season (March 29th, 2018)
ORDER NO. 18-52
N E W S E C T I O N
WAC 220-340-42000G Commercial crab fishery—unlawful acts.
Notwithstanding the provisions of WAC 220-340-420:
(1) Effective 7:00 p.m. Saturday, March 31, 2018, until further notice, ALL of Crab Management Region 3-1 and 3-2 are CLOSED. These regions includes Marine Fish-Shellfish Catch Reporting Areas 23A, 23B, 23D, 25A and 25E.
(2) Effective immediately, until further notice, ALL of Crab Management Region 1 is CLOSED. This region includes Marine Fish-Shellfish Catch Reporting Areas 20A, 20B, 21A, 21B, 22A and 22B.
(3) Effective immediately, until further notice, ALL of Crab Management Region 2 West is CLOSED. This region includes Marine Fish-Shellfish Catch Reporting Areas 25B, 25D and 26A West.
(4) Effective immediately, until further notice, ALL of Crab Management Region 2 East is CLOSED. This region includes Marine Fish-Shellfish Catch Reporting Areas 24A, 24B, 24C, 24D and 26A East.
(5) Effective immediately, until further notice, it is unlawful for any person to fish for crabs for commercial purposes with more than 50 pots per license per buoy tag number in Crab Management Region Region 3-3 East or 3-3 West. These regions include Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Areas 23C and 29.
(6) All remaining buoy tags per license per region must be onboard the designated vessel and available for immediate inspection.
R E P E A L E R S
The following sections of the Washington Administrative Code are repealed 7:00 p.m. March 31, 2018:
WAC 220-340-42000F Commercial crab fishery—unlawful acts. (18-31)
WAC 220-340-45500I Commercial crab fishery--Seasons and areas--Puget Sound. (18-31)
9th Emergency Regulation for the 2017-2018 Puget Sound commercial Crab Season (March 6th, 2018)
ORDER NO. 18-31
N E W S E C T I O N
WAC 220-340-42000F Commercial crab fishery—unlawful acts.
Notwithstanding the provisions of WAC 220-340-420:
(1) Effective at 6:00 pm, March 7, 2018, until further notice, ALL of Crab Management Region 1 is CLOSED. This region includes Marine Fish-Shellfish Catch Reporting Areas 20A, 20B, 21A, 21B, 22A and 22B.
(2) Effective immediately, until further notice, ALL of Crab Management Region 2 West is CLOSED. This region includes Marine Fish-Shellfish Catch Reporting Areas 25B, 25D and 26A West.
(3) Effective immediately, until further notice, ALL of Crab Management Region 2 East is CLOSED. This region includes Marine Fish-Shellfish Catch Reporting Areas 24A, 24B, 24C, 24D and 26A East.
(4) Effective immediately, until further notice, it is unlawful for any person to fish for crabs for commercial purposes with more than 50 pots per license per buoy tag number in Crab Management Region 3-1, Region 3-2, Region 3-3 East or 3-3 West. These regions include Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Areas 23A, 23B, 23C, 23D, 25A, 25E and 29.
(5) All remaining buoy tags per license per region must be onboard the designated vessel and available for immediate inspection.
(6) Additional area gear limits. The following Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Areas are restricted in the number of pots fished, operated, or used by a person or vessel, and it is unlawful for any person to use, maintain, operate, or control pots in excess of the following limits: No commercial gear is allowed in that portion of Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Area 25A west of the 123o 7.0’ longitude line projected from the new Dungeness light true south to the shore of Dungeness Bay.
N E W S E C T I O N
WAC 220-340-45500I Commercial crab fishery--Seasons and areas--Puget Sound.
Notwithstanding the provisions of WAC 220-340-455:
Effective immediately, until further notice, the following areas are closed to commercial crab fishing:
(a) That portion of Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Area 25A west of the 123o 7.0’ longitude line projected from the new Dungeness light true south to the shore of Dungeness Bay.
(b) That portion of Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Area 23D west of a line from the eastern tip of Ediz Hook to the ITT Rayonier Dock.
R E P E A L E R S
The following sections of the Washington Administrative code are repealed at 6:00 pm, March 7, 2018:
WAC 220-340-42000E Commercial crab fishery—unlawful acts. (18-12)
WAC 220-340-45500H Commercial crab fishery--Seasons and areas--Puget Sound. (18-12)
8th Emergency Regulation for the 2017-2018 Puget Sound Commercial Crab Season (January 30th, 2018)
ORDER NO. 18-12
N E W S E C T I O N
WAC 220-340-42000E Commercial crab fishery—unlawful acts.
Notwithstanding the provisions of WAC 220-340-420:
(1) Effective 5:30 pm, January 31, 2018, until further notice, ALL of Crab Management Region 2 West is CLOSED. This region includes Marine Fish-Shellfish Catch Reporting Areas 25B, 25D and 26A West.
(2) Effective immediately, until further notice, ALL of Crab Management Region 2 East is CLOSED. This region includes Marine Fish-Shellfish Catch Reporting Areas 24A, 24B, 24C, 24D and 26A East.
(3) Effective immediately, until further notice, it is unlawful for any person to fish for crabs for commercial purposes with more than 35 pots per license per buoy tag number in Crab Management Region 1. This region includes Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Areas 20A, 20B, 21A, 21B, 22A, and 22B.
(4) Effective immediately, until further notice, it is unlawful for any person to fish for crabs for commercial purposes with more than 50 pots per license per buoy tag number in Crab Management Region 3-1, Region 3-2, Region 3-3 East or 3-3 West. These regions include Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Areas 23A, 23B, 23C, 23D, 25A, 25E and 29.
(5) All remaining buoy tags per license per region must be onboard the designated vessel and available for immediate inspection.
(6) Additional area gear limits. The following Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Areas are restricted in the number of pots fished, operated, or used by a person or vessel, and it is unlawful for any person to use, maintain, operate, or control pots in excess of the following limits: No commercial gear is allowed in that portion of Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Area 25A west of the 123o 7.0’ longitude line projected from the new Dungeness light true south to the shore of Dungeness Bay.
N E W S E C T I O N
WAC 220-340-45500H Commercial crab fishery--Seasons and areas--Puget Sound.
Notwithstanding the provisions of WAC 220-340-455:
(1) Effective immediately, until further notice, it is permissible to fish for Dungeness crab for commercial purposes in the following areas:
(a) Those waters of Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Area 20A between a line from the boat ramp at the western boundary of Birch Bay State Park to the western point of the entrance of the Birch Bay Marina and a line from the same boat ramp to Birch Point.
(b) Those waters of Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Area 22B in Fidalgo Bay south of a line projected from the red number 4 entrance buoy at Cape Sante Marina to the northern end of the eastern most oil dock.
(c) Those waters of Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Area 22A in Deer Harbor north of a line projected from Steep Point to Pole Pass.
(2) Effective immediately, until further notice, the following areas are closed to commercial crab fishing:
(a) That portion of Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Area 25A west of the 123o 7.0’ longitude line projected from the new Dungeness light true south to the shore of Dungeness Bay.
(b) That portion of Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Area 23D west of a line from the eastern tip of Ediz Hook to the ITT Rayonier Dock.
R E P E A L E R S
The following sections of the Washington Administrative code are repealed at 5:30 pm, January 31, 2018:
WAC 220-340-42000C Commercial crab fishery—unlawful acts. (18-06)
WAC 220-340-45500G Commercial crab fishery--Seasons and areas--Puget Sound. (18-06)7th Emergency Regulation for the 2017-2018 Puget Sound Commercial Crab Season (January 16th, 2018)
ORDER NO. 18-06
N E W S E C T I O N
WAC 220-340-42000C Commercial crab fishery—unlawful acts.
Notwithstanding the provisions of WAC 220-340-420:
(1) Effective 5:30 pm, Tuesday, January 16, 2018, until further notice, ALL of Crab Management Region 2 East is CLOSED. This region includes Marine Fish-Shellfish Catch Reporting Areas 24A, 24B, 24C, 24D and 26A East.
(2) Effective immediately, until further notice, it is unlawful for any person to fish for crabs for commercial purposes with more than 35 pots per license per buoy tag number in Crab Management Region 1. This region includes Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Areas 20A, 20B, 21A, 21B, 22A, and 22B.
(3) Effective immediately, until further notice, it is unlawful for any person to fish for crabs for commercial purposes with more than 50 pots per license per buoy tag number in Crab Management Region 2 West, Region 3-1, Region 3-2, Region 3-3 East or 3-3 West. These regions include Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Areas 23A, 23B, 23C, 23D, 25A, 25B, 25D, 25E, 26A West, and 29.
(4) All remaining buoy tags per license per region must be onboard the designated vessel and available for immediate inspection.
(5) Additional area gear limits. The following Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Areas are restricted in the number of pots fished, operated, or used by a person or vessel, and it is unlawful for any person to use, maintain, operate, or control pots in excess of the following limits: No commercial gear is allowed in that portion of Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Area 25A west of the 123o 7.0’ longitude line projected from the new Dungeness light true south to the shore of Dungeness Bay.
N E W S E C T I O N
WAC 220-340-45500G Commercial crab fishery--Seasons and areas--Puget Sound.
Notwithstanding the provisions of WAC 220-340-455:
(1) Effective immediately, until further notice, it is permissible to fish for Dungeness crab for commercial purposes in the following areas:
(a) Those waters of Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Area 20A between a line from the boat ramp at the western boundary of Birch Bay State Park to the western point of the entrance of the Birch Bay Marina and a line from the same boat ramp to Birch Point.
(b) Those waters of Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Area 22B in Fidalgo Bay south of a line projected from the red number 4 entrance buoy at Cape Sante Marina to the northern end of the eastern most oil dock.
(c) Those waters of Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Area 22A in Deer Harbor north of a line projected from Steep Point to Pole Pass.
(2) Effective immediately, until further notice, it is permissible to fish for Dungeness crab for commercial purposes in the following areas:
Those waters of Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Area 26A-W in Useless Bay north and east of a line from the south end of the Double Bluff State Park seawall (47°58.782'N, 122°30.840'W) projected 110 degrees true to the boulder on shore (47°57.690'N, 122°26.742'W).
(3) Effective immediately, until further notice, the following areas are closed to commercial crab fishing:
(a) That portion of Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Area 25A west of the 123o 7.0’ longitude line projected from the new Dungeness light true south to the shore of Dungeness Bay.
(b) That portion of Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Area 23D west of a line from the eastern tip of Ediz Hook to the ITT Rayonier Dock.
R E P E A L E R S
The following sections of the Washington Administrative code are repealed at 5:30 pm, Tuesday, January 16, 2018:
WAC 220-340-42000A Commercial crab fishery—unlawful acts. (18-02)
WAC 220-340-45500F Commercial crab fishery--Seasons and areas--Puget Sound. (17-339)
6th Emergency Regulation for the 2017-2018 Puget Sound Commercial Crab Season (January 4th, 2018)
ORDER NO. 18-02
N E W S E C T I O N
WAC 220-340-42000A Commercial crab fishery—unlawful acts.
Notwithstanding the provisions of WAC 220-340-420:
(1) Effective immediately, until further notice, it is unlawful for any person to fish for crabs for commercial purposes with more than 35 pots per license per buoy tag number in Crab Management Region 1 and Region 2 East. These regions include Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Areas 20A, 20B, 21A, 21B, 22A, 22B, 24A, 24B, 24C, 24D, 26A East.
(2) Effective immediately, until further notice, it is unlawful for any person to fish for crabs for commercial purposes with more than 50 pots per license per buoy tag number in Crab Management Region 2 West, Region 3-1, Region 3-2, Region 3-3 East or 3-3 West. These regions include Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Areas 23A, 23B, 23C, 23D, 25A, 25B, 25D, 25E, 26A West, and 29.
(3) All remaining buoy tags per license per region must be onboard the designated vessel and available for immediate inspection.
(4) Additional area gear limits. The following Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Areas are restricted in the number of pots fished, operated, or used by a person or vessel, and it is unlawful for any person to use, maintain, operate, or control pots in excess of the following limits: No commercial gear is allowed in that portion of Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Area 25A west of the 123o 7.0’ longitude line projected from the new Dungeness light true south to the shore of Dungeness Bay.
R E P E A L E R S
The following sections of the Washington Administrative code are repealed immediately:
WAC 220-340-42000I Commercial crab fishery—unlawful acts. (17-339)
5th Emergency Regulation for the 2017-2018 Puget Sound Commercial Crab Season. (December 21st, 2017)
ORDER NO. 17-339
N E W S E C T I O N
WAC 220-340-42000I Commercial crab fishery—unlawful acts.
Notwithstanding the provisions of WAC 220-340-420:
(1) Effective immediately, until further notice, it is unlawful for any person to fish for crabs for commercial purposes with more than 35 pots per license per buoy tag number in Crab Management Regions 1, Regi