The speculation by the bios was heavily toward temperature impacts on the larval stage. Note the use of the word speculation.

Krijack - I have wondered for years about how WDFW and ODFW have resolved the issue of minimum size in concurrent management waters of the lower CR. WDFW's position is that the 6 1/4 minimum allows one to two spawning opportunities for sexually mature male Dungeness crab before they become legal to harvest in Puget Sound. The 5 3/4 minimum would seem to barely allow a male crab one opportunity - if that.

Then there is the issue of exactly how much meat one gets from a 5 3/4 inch crab versus 6 1/2. There was actually an idea floated around several years ago by former shellfish manager Childers to increase the minimum in P.S. to 7 inches. Obviously that didn't go anywhere.