Most areas of Puget Sound opening Oct 15 for recreational crabbing

2 Comments on "Most areas of Puget Sound opening Oct 15 for recreational crabbing"

1. LarryB | October 11, 2016 at 9:04 pm | Reply

   This “good news” is akin to having the sharp stick successfully removed from your eye.

   Let’s look at crab management areas 2W (MA 9) and 2E (MA 8-1 and 8-2) which have the State’s share allocated to both recreational and NT commercial. The current management policy calls for the Shellfish Manager to gather and analyze the summer recreational harvest data and then subtract the summer rec harvest from the State’s share to determine if a winter rec season can be held and, if so, the extent of that season. By subtracting the summer Rec harvest and the estimated winter Rec harvest from the State’s share the Manager then is to determine if there is adequate poundage available from the State’s share for a NT commercial season.

   So, given that understanding of the Commission’s policy how is it that the NT Commercial season was opened on 1 October in those areas yet the winter Rec season is not opening until 15 October on a substantially reduced harvestable biomass and just in time for the Fall weather? If the Shellfish Manager could determine that there was adequate poundage available for a NT Commercial opener he must have known that there was adequate poundage for a full winter Rec season. Doesn’t seem to pass the Whiff Test.

   • Tidal Exchange Staff | October 31, 2016 at 5:59 am | Reply

     Appreciate the comment, and have sent off a request for more details from WDFW on this.