Sport Crab Fishing Home Licensing and reporting requirements Dungeness Crab Catch Record Card Puget Sound Dungeness Crab Catch Sport Crab Seasons • Crabbing Rules by Marine Area • Statewide Gear Rules - Crab, Shrimp and Crawfish HTML | PDF Crab - Frequently Asked Questions Crabbing 101 - The Basics • Crab Fishing Video • Recreational Crabbing Equipment & Photos • Crab Identification and Biology • Recreational Crabbing Quiz • Harvest Techniques for Crab • Preparation for cooking • Identifying Softshell Crab Related Information • Links on Crabs and Crabbing • Boat Launches - Locations and Information • Rules for Unclassified Marine Invertebrates and Subtidal Species other than Dungeness Crab, Rock Crab and Shrimp • ANS - Aquatic Nuisance Species: Invasive Species Fact Sheets     Files formatted in Adobe Portable Document Format (PDF) require the Adobe Acrobat Reader to view and print. You can download the free reader directly from Adobe.

IMPORTANT NOTICE Attention Crabbers $10.00 penalty for failing to report winter crab catch record cards Learn more CRAB FISHING STREAMING VIDEO FORMATS Broadband | 56K Modem Running Time: 4:12 Broadband | 56K Modem Running Time: 4:12   Puget Sound Sport Crabbing Crabbing is one of Puget Sound’s most popular recreational fisheries. Each year, sport fishers catch more than a million pounds of Dungeness crab, using pots, ring nets and – in the case of wade and dive fishers – their bare hands. In addition to meeting licensing requirements, everyone who fishes for crab in Puget Sound must carry and complete catch record cards to account for all Dungeness crab they catch. Recent changes in the reporting system now in effect: Two-card reporting system: All sport crabbers fishing in Puget Sound are required to report their Dungeness crab catch on separate summer and fall/winter catch record cards at the end of each season. The new cards are separate from the multi-species card used for recording catches of salmon, halibut and other fish. People of all ages who have a crab endorsement and received a catch record card are required to make a report even if they did not go crabbing or catch any crab.   On-line reporting: Sport crabbers can either report their information on the WDFW crab reporting website or mail in their catch cards. The website address for reporting crab catches is printed on the catch record card along with reporting deadlines.   No coastal reporting: Catch record cards are required for those fishing for Dungeness crab along the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound, which includes marine area 4 (east of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line) and marine areas 5-13. They are not required along the coast, which includes marine areas 1-3 and marine area 4 (west of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line). Failure to report penalty: If crabbers fail to report their 2009 winter harvest, they will be assessed a $10 penalty with the following year's license purchase. Fishery managers rely on individual catch record card reports to estimate recreational harvest and to set future crabbing opportunities. By completing catch record cards, fishers play a vital role in maintaining sustainable harvest opportunities. Click on the map below in the area where you want crab season and limit information or scroll down for current season status by area

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