Originally Posted By: bushbear
The Lacey Act kicks in when a federal boundary is crossed. Usually, it is a state line or international border, but it could be argued for a federal boundary within a state (Forest Service, BLM, National Park, or a tribal reservation). Unless it has changed, there is/was a $250 value threshold that had to be exceeded.


Bushbear is correct about the Lacey Act and it's "requirements". In addition to this there needs to be support from the US Attorney's Office in order to prosecute the violator. In this case NOAA/NMFS Law Enforcement would be the lead investigator since it is involving crabs and they would be the ones selling the case to the US Attorney, not WDFW.

Having worked in federal natural resource law enforcement I will tell you that there is probably no prosecutor with the US Attorney's Office that would take this case. Why? Because it is not worth it over a few crabs. Lacey Act investigations are typically for huge violations (thousands or millions of $) or for violations such as shooting an elk in a National Park and moving it.