After the report of the Tribes Crabbing recently, and soon to start
Shrimping, I contacted the WDFW for an explanation, here it is:


-----Original Message-----


Thank you for your e-mail correspondence to the Washington Department of
Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) Fish Program.

All Puget Sound Marine Area crustacean (crab and shrimp) fisheries have
assigned state sport, state commercial, and treaty harvest quotas. An
area is closed to a group when its particular quota is reached or, in
the case of Dungeness crab, to all groups when the molt starts.

The allocation of shrimp and crab to specific user groups is the result
of the 1994 Federal Court Order (Rafeedie Decision) that provided 50% of
the total harvest to treaty tribes and 50% to state fishers.

The crab seasons typically open in the summer when the molt is completed
to both sport and treaty fishers. In most areas the sport fishery is
open 7 days a week until the quota is taken in each Marine Area and then
it closes. The treaty fishers design their seasons to take part of
their quota in the summer and part in the winter months. Depending on
the area and the time of year (other than molt closures) sporadic treaty
fishing maybe taking place.

At this time all sport crab fishing quotas have been taken in Puget
Sound and the areas all areas are closed to sport crabbing. State
commercial crab fishing (which opens Oct 1 each year) and treaty fishing
seasons are open in some areas where the quotas have not been taken and
closed in others with quota remaining.

All shrimp fishing is closed in Puget Sound at this time. The shrimp
fisheries open in late spring to early summer for State sport,
commercial, and treaty shrimp fishers. As in crab, the seasons in each
area for each group continue until their respective quotas are
harvested, which at the latest occurs by September of each year.

For your information, the latest sport, commercial and treaty crab
harvest file for this year is attached which provides by area and month
catch data and harvest quotas.

If you have further questions, please email again or call (360)
902-2700. Our Customer Service hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday
through Friday.

Sincerely,
Fish Program