Another aspect of the reduced productivity for rec crabbers and resulting reduced activity and harvest is in management areas having NI commercial crabbing. Think especially MA 8-1, 8-2 and 9.

When the new policy was being developed the WDFW crab bios expressed concern that the plan as written (and subsequently passed) would have the entire State share in MA 9 (2W) harvested by recs during the summer season leaving none for a rec winter season. They also expressed concern that in 8-1 and 8-2 (2E) that the amount left over (State share less summer rec actual and winter projected) would leave such a small amount for NI crabbers that they would harvest it all in the first couple of weeks and WDFW would not be able obtain and calculate a running total in time to shut down the NI commercials before exceeding the State's share.

Neither of those scenarios have come close to occurring. Despite the Commission supposedly prioritizing rec opportunity in those areas the NI commercials have had extended opportunity running from 1 Oct to February grinding out the remaining portion of the State's share. I have been told much of that harvest has been on crab which have molted after the summer rec season and would be available the following summer season (or at least what the tribes don't harvest). This works in large part due to the prices paid for crab. I was shocked to see crab for sale in Fred Meyer last Thursday at $14.99/#. And then there is the live crab market in Asia - air freight costs be damned.

It was and is clear to me that there is no need to obtain summer CRC data for 8-1, 8-2 and 9 to be sure that there is adequate poundage available before opening a winter rec season. Consequently, I did submit a rule change proposal to begin the winter season in those MAs on the day after Labor Day. Let's just say that the then Shellfish Manager poured cold water on that idea sending it to the "do not consider" pile.

Now, if we are truly in a down cycle (quite apparent) how will WDFW address that reality in terms of having both rec and NI commercial harvest in those areas?