Crab fishing closes Aug. 11, in Everett,
Port Susan, Glendale areas
Action: The recreational crab fishery in the Everett, Port Susan, and Glendale area of Marine Area 8-2 will close August 11, 2003, until further notice.
Effective date: 9 p.m. August 11, 2003
Species affected: Dungeness and red rock crab
Location: The area to be closed includes all waters of Marine Area 8-2, except those waters of Saratoga Passage north of a line that extends from Camano Head on the southern tip of Camano Island southwesterly to Sandy Point on Whidbey Island. The closed area includes Port Susan, Port Gardner, and Possession Sound from Possession Point to Sandy Point.
Reason for action: Catch projections indicate the sport quota in this area will be taken by Aug. 11, at which time the closure area described above will close to sport harvesting at 9 p.m. Catch projections indicate the sport quota will be taken in the northern open portion of Marine Area 8-2, and all of Marine Area 8-1 by Sept. 2, and these entire areas will then be closed to sport harvesting at 8 p.m. Marine Areas 8-1 and 8-2 could reopen for winter harvest opportunities if additional quota remains, based on a phone survey of catch record cards available in September.
Other information: Marine Areas 4, 5, 6, the San Juan Islands and the Anacortes-to-Bellingham portion of 7, plus 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13 are currently open to all sport crabbing, seven days per week. Shell condition testing has begun in the Blaine/ Birch Bay portion of Marine Area 7 and this area is expected to open mid- to late August. Fishers are reminded to record their Dungeness crab catch on their catch record card immediately when crab are kept.
Crab closing
Previous Topic
Index
