Crabbing Violations

With the start of our Puget Sound crabbing season underway I am going to take a minute and warn all of you that are participating in this fishery to make sure that you read the rules and follow them to a T. The WDFW Enforcement Officers have been having a field day writing citations to crabbers for virtually everything in the book. Some of the citations have been for simple things and others have been blatant.

Here's a few things that you really need to watch:
1. Make sure you have a current licence and catch record card.
2. Make sure to record your crab on your catch record card immediately before you reset your gear.
3. Make sure that your crab are legal: Male,61/4 inches in front of the points and hard shelled.
4. Make sure that you have the biodegradable rot cord on your traps.
5. Make sure to mark your traps as per the regulations.
6. Make sure to keep just your limit.

Please read over your WDFW regulations on crabbing as all citations are easily avoided.