Dungeness crab fishing to close in portions of central Puget Sound

OLYMPIA — Portions of central Puget Sound will close at 8 a.m. Thursday (Oct. 1) to sport Dungeness crab fishing with crab pots, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife announced today.

Tribal and non-Indian commercial fishing also will close in the same waters

The closures are necessary to protect molting crabs. The crabs are more vulnerable to injury when their shells are soft.

While sport crab fishing will close Thursday, the areas remain open to fishers who capture crabs while wading, using SCUBA gear as well as ring nets and star traps.

The recreational areas closing are:

• Marine Area 8-2 (Port Susan and Port Gardner) east and south of a line from East Point on Whidbey Island to Lowell Point on Camano Island
• Marine Area 9 (Admiralty Inlet) north of a line from the southern tip of Possession Point on Whidbey Island to Picnic Point

Dungeness crab fishing by tribal and non-Indian commercial fishers will close in Catch areas 24B and in portions of areas 24C and 26 A.