http://wdfw.wa.gov/news/sep3014a/

Not reopening: MAs 10 and 11.

Too bad WDFW doesn't include a brief supporting analysis for those MAs not opening:

State share (XX pounds) less summer recreational harvest (YY pounds) means no winter recreational season in each such MA.

One other thing to remember is that even if there is not enough poundage available out of the State's share for a full winter season in a particular MA the new policy calls for WDFW to allow some winter recreational opportunity corresponding to available residual poundage. Specifically, the talk then was about days immediately preceding holidays (Thanksgiving and Christmas).

Is the crab fishing better in the summer or now in the fall?

For Puget Sound:

Lets see, tribal crabbers hit it for up to two months before the recreational summer season begins on 1 July then the recs work it over for two months. Then, depending on the MA, there is a commercial opener for NT crabbers beginning 1 Oct and for MAs with sufficient left overs out of the State's share (50%) there is also a winter rec fishery.

We won't even discuss how weather conditions affect winter recreational opportunity.

The only thing that might be considered "better" in the winter fishery is the reduced percentage of soft crab.

Edit:

Oops, Banned User snuck in while I had taken a creative break to mow the lawn. As to the fewer number of crabbers that is somewhat dependent upon location. If you are wanting to crab in one of those MAs where the non-tribal (NT) crabbers have a season you may find your favorite location inundated with NT gear.