Puget Sound is home to two fleets of commercial vessels, Treaty and non-Treaty. The non-Treaty commercial crab fleet possesses about 248 licenses. The fishery is currently limited to this number of licenses, however current license holders may transfer an existing license to a new party. Information on the non-treaty commercial fishing rules changes and 2002 season information is now available by clicking on the provided links. Information on Treaty Indian fishing in Puget Sound is available through the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission.

Click on the appropriate link to the left for the text of the latest hotline messages, a summary of historic landings, the current season's landings, permanent crab fishing regulations, descriptions of catch areas, and descriptions of exclusion zones.

Commercial Crab Fishery Information for the 2002 Season

The non-indian commerical fishery regulations:

WAC 220-22-40000D Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Areas, Puget Sound

Notwithstanding the provisions of WAC 220-22-400, effective 12:01 a.m. October 1, 2002 until further notice Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Area 26A shall be further defined by the following boundaries:

(1) Area 26A-W shall include those waters of Puget Sound south of 25B and northerly of a line from Apple Cove Point to Point Edwards and south and west of a line that extends from Possession Point to the Shipwreck located .8 nautical miles north of Picnic Point.

(2) Area 26A-E shall include those waters of Puget Sound south of Areas 24B and 24C and north and east of a line that extends from Possession Point to the Shipwreck located .8 nautical miles north of Picnic Point.

WAC 220-52-04000H Commercial crab fishery- Exceptions to permanent rules for pot limits.

Notwithstanding the provisions of WAC 220-52-040, effective 12:01 a.m. October 1, 2002 until further notice it is unlawful to fish for crabs for commercial purposes with more than 75 pots per license, per buoy tag number in Puget Sound waters. The remaining 25 buoy tags per license must be onboard the designated vessel and available for inspection. Exceptions are as provided herein:

(1) It will be lawful to fish for crabs for commercial purposes with 100 pots per license, per buoy tag number in Marine Fish Shellfish Catch Areas 29, 23A, 23B, 23C, 23D, and 25A, effective 11:59 p.m. October 15, 2002, until further notice.

WAC 220-52-046000H Crab Fishery--Seasons and Areas.

Notwithstanding the provisions of WAC 220-52-046, it will be lawful to fish for Dungeness Crab for commercial purposes in the following areas:

(1) Effective 12:01 a.m. October 1, 2002 until further notice, those waters of Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Area 26A within a line that extends due north from the green number 1 buoy at Scatchet Head to Scatchet Head, thence from the green number 1 buoy at Scatchet Head to the green number 1 buoy at Possession Point, thence due north from the green number 1 buoy at Possession Point to Possession Point.

(2) Effective 12:01 a.m. October 16, 2002 through March 31, 2003, those waters of Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Area 26A east and north of a line that extends from Possession Point to the green number 1 buoy at Possession Point thence following the 200 foot contour northward to a point due east from the Glendale Dock, thence extending due west to the Whidbey Island shore.

(3) Effective 12:01 a.m. October 16, 2002 through March 14, 2003, those waters of 26A north and east of a line from the south end of the Double Bluff State Park seawall (47º 58.782"N, 122º 30.84'W) projected 110º true to the boulder on shore (47º 57.690'N, 122º 26.742'W).

(4) Effective 12:01 a.m. October 1, 2002 until further notice, that portion of Marine Fish/Shellfish Catch Area 21B in Samish Bay south of a line from Fish Point and Point Williams in water deeper than 60 feet.

(5) Effective 12:01 a.m. October 1, 2002 until further notice, all waters of Marine Fish/Shellfish Catch Area 25D.

WAC 220-52-047000J Puget Sound commercial crab pot deployment.

Notwithstanding the provisions of WAC 220-52-047:

(1) Dungeness crab pots may be deployed between 8:00 a.m. October 1, 2002 and 7:59 a.m. October 3, 2002 in Puget Sound waters from a vessel not designated on a persons Puget Sound crab license provided that the primary or alternate operator designated on the license is on board the non-designated vessel ("barge" vessel), and provided prior notice has been given as indicated below.

(2)The license holder must leave a telephone message at the La Conner office, (360) 466-4345, extension 245, with the following information:

 a) Name and license number of license owner.

 b) Name of designated primary operator if different from license owner.

 c) Name of alternate operator if used to deploy pots from a non-designated vessel.

 d) Buoy brand number and number of pots to be deployed from a non-designated vessel.

 e) Name and identification numbers (WN and/or Coast Guard) of the non-designated vessel.

WAC 220-69-24000E Duties of commercial purchasers and receivers --Puget Sound crab

Notwithstanding the provisions of WAC 220-69-240, effective 12:01 a.m. October 1, 2002 until further notice, every person originally receiving or purchasing crab harvested from Marine Fish-Shellfish Management and Catch Reporting Area 26A shall record either 26A-E or 26A-W on shellfish receiving tickets based on the location of harvest and the boundary definitions specified in WAC 220-22-40000D

WAC 220-20-0S000A Sale under a direct retail endorsement.

It is unlawful for any fisher selling salmon or Dungeness crab taken by that fisher under a direct retail endorsement, or for a wholesale dealer accepting salmon or crab from such a fisher, to fail to comply with the requirements of this section.

(1) A direct retail endorsement will not be issued to a licensee who is other than a natural person and, after 2002, will only be issued upon renewal of a qualifying license. Applicants for the endorsement must present a letter from the county health department of the fisher's county of residence certifying that the methods used by the fisher for transport, storage and display of product meet the county and statewide standards for food service operations. If the fisher is landing product from a documented vessel, the letter may be from the county health department of the hailing port of the vessel. Additionally, applicants must present a valid food and beverage service worker's permit at the time of application, and pay the direct retail administrative cost of fifty dollars. The health department letter, permit, and administrative cost are required for each application or renewal for a direct retail endorsement.

(2) Any fisher who offers salmon or crab for retail sale must complete a fish receiving ticket for all salmon or crab aboard the harvesting vessel before the product is offered for retail sale. The price shown on the fish receiving ticket must be the price at which the fisher is offering the salmon or crab for sale.

(3) Any fisher selling salmon or crab at retail, which salmon or crab are taken from an area under the quick reporting requirements of WAC 220-69-240, is required to comply with the quick reporting requirement.

(4) Salmon and crab offered for retail sale must be landed in the round. Salmon may not be cleaned or headed until the fish ticket documenting the landing is completed.

(5) In order to allow inspection and sampling, each fisher offering salmon or crab for retail sale.must notify the department forty-eight hours prior to sale and identify the location of the fisher's temporary food service establishment. The only acceptable notification is by telephone to (360) 902-2936, FAX to 902-2155, or e-mail to enforcement-web@dfw.wa.gov.

(6) Salmon or Dungeness crab sold under a retail sale endorsement may only be sold to a consumer. Sale is not allowed to any person who will resell the product, such as a restaurant. Dungeness crab must be sold uncooked.

(7) If salmon or crab offered for retail sale and documented on a fish receiving ticket are subsequently sold to a licensed wholesale dealer, the sale must be documented by a sale receipt, not a fish receiving ticket, and it is the responsibility of the wholesale dealer to maintain the product separately, until the product is resold or processed.

(8) Violations of subsections (2), (3) , and (7) of this section are punishable under RCW 77.15.640.

(9) Violations of subsections (4) , (5) , and (6) of this section are punishable under RCW 77.15.540. 2 ] OTS-5750.3