Larry
Do the Tribes have/operate under the same minimum size for crab? It seems that, if the management paradigm was working, that crabbers would be releasing a lot of sub-legal males. If they aren't, then something is wrong with the paradigm. The model has to agree with reality, not vice-versa.
Have to? I don't think so. However, it is my understanding that they do mirror the same size/sex requirements as the WDFW regs - at least on paper.
Otherwise, what you have opined is exactly my perspective. Note that I wrote that the paradigm may work for a healthy (model) population but reality seems to be that the population in at least some MAs no longer exhibit those characteristics for whatever reason.
If there are few or no males less than 6-1/4 inches then the population of breeding males and smaller ones anticipated to grow into breeders before becoming legal are inadequate thus the paradigm is broken.
Do we have a localized problem or is this also a threat to northern MAs? Is it a natural phenomenon or a result of overharvest (as in, the basic paradigm is flawed) and/or has there been harvest of crab outside the paradigm's parameters?
Unless I missed it somewhere the Department's new Shellfish Manager has not yet made the required annual presentation on the status of the prior year's (2016) season. When that occurs there may be some serious questions pertaining to this issue.
At least I hope that one or more Commissioners recognize there may be a problem and are willing to engage.
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