Sport crabbing will get an earlier start off Port Townsend, Port Angeles (Marine Area 6)

May 31, 2007

Action: Starting June 27, crab fishing in Marine Area 6 will be open Wednesday through Saturday, a week before the date published in WDFW's 2007-08 sport fishing pamphlet.

Effective date: 7 a.m. on Wednesday, June 27, 2007.

Species affected: All crab.

Location: All waters of the eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca (Marine Area 6), from Wilson Point near Port Townsend to Low Point west of Port Angeles.

Reason for action: The earlier start date was the result of a shellfish management plan recently negotiated with affected treaty tribes.

Other information:

· June 18: Marine areas 4 (Neah Bay east of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line), 5 (Sekiu) and 13 (south Puget Sound) will open seven days per week through Jan. 2, 2008.

· June 27: Marine area 6 (eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca) will open Wednesdays through Saturdays only, plus the entire Labor Day weekend and will close the evening of Sept. 3 for a catch assessment.

· July 4: Marine areas 7 South (San Juan Islands), 8-1 (Deception Pass to East Point), 8-2 (East Point to Possession Point), 9 (Admiralty Inlet), 10 (Seattle/Bremerton), 11 (Tacoma/Vashon) and 12 (Hood Canal) will open Wednesdays through Saturdays only, plus the entire Labor Day weekend and will close the evening of Sept. 3 for a catch assessment.

· July 18: Marine Area 7 East (Bellingham and Samish bays) will open Wednesdays through Saturdays only, plus the entire Labor Day weekend and will close the evening of Sept. 29 for a catch assessment.

· Aug. 15: Marine Area 7 North (Lummi Island/Blaine) will open Wednesdays through Saturdays only, plus the entire Labor Day weekend and will close the evening of Sept. 29 for a catch assessment.











All areas will open at 7 a.m. on the dates noted.

As in previous years, 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.

All crab fishers age 15 or older must carry a current Washington fishing license. In addition, all Puget Sound crabbers " regardless of age " must obtain a crab-licensing endorsement and record their catch on a catch record card. For more information on the Puget Sound crab fishery, see http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/shelfish/crab/index.htm on the WDFW website.

Contact: Dayv Lowry, Point Whitney (Region 6), (360) 796-4601 ext. 228 or Steve Burton, Mill Creek (Region 4), (360) 775-1311 ext. 126.

Fishers must have a current Washington fishing license, appropriate to the fishery. Check the WDFW "Fishing in Washington" rules pamphlet for details on definitions and regulations. Fishing rules are subject to change. Visit wdfw.wa.gov/fishing-hotlines to find a list of mobile, web, print, or customer service phone options for the latest rule information.

Request this information in an alternative format or language at wdfw.wa.gov/accessibility/requests-accommodation, 833-885-1012, TTY (711), or CivilRightsTeam@dfw.wa.gov.