Originally Posted By: bushbear
Don Velasquez spoke to our NOP PSA chapter last Thursday about shrimping and crabbing opportunities this year. He works out of the Mill Creek office for the Puget Sound shellfish program.

He said the test fisheries indicated a 30% drop in the crab population in the central and S Sound. Lots of females were found, but not many males. Supposition is the warmer waters the past couple of years might have impacted the spawning success.

If you have a fishing club/organization, if Don is available, you'd enjoy his presentation.



I'd say that is similar or perhaps what I've seen this past spring is worse then that.
I do a lot of beach fishing in the sound.
Last year, there were lots of mated up pairs in the eel grass flats. This year, hardly any.
Only one beach I fished had a decent number of crabs, but I'd say it was about half of what I saw there last year.

Where I fish on the canal, I haven't seen a legal crab in a good five years.
SF
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