It opened November 15th last year.
Are they still counting catch record cards?
Did the tribes say no season?
Anybody hear anything?

I will send out some messages and see what I can find out. I have been meaning to try to get the numbers. My past experience with the department is that they are either incompetent or just don't care.

According to the data provided to the Crab and Shrimp Advisory Group during its October meeting the possibility of a winter opening in MA 10 and MA 11 are unlikely because the harvest during the 2023 summer season exceeded the State's share.

See page 20: https://wdfw.wa.gov/sites/default/files/about/advisory/psrcsac/10262023-rcsac-final.pdf.

If they had an idea before that meeting in October why are they not letting the public know then? At least a "heads-up" pending discussions with the bosses, I mean Co-Managers.

Thanks Larry B!
They did finally list them as closed until summer.
I would like to know more about what type of expansive math they are using to come up with 57,000 pounds of crab for a 18 day season in Area 11. Personally I kept one dungeness, fishing 10 of the 18 days. I’m guessing with their math this crab must have weighed several hundred pounds. It’s really too bad that dungeness seasons are preventing good rock crabbing in areas 11 and 13.

These mathematical equations are where sportsmen lose big time in catch sharing. Having one side multiply their catch 10x like they do with salmon is neither fair or equitable.

I really wonder about the numbers too. The funny thing is, because the rec side is coming in so high, they are thinking about retroactively agreeing the numbers should have been higher, giving each side 4000 lbs more. That likely will mean the tribe will go in and take another 4000 lbs. It also would not surprise me if that will then also mean they will try to reallocate next year, giving the tribes more. Despite the fact that the tribes take way more on almost every other year.

The issue of a red rock season when Dungy was shut down was pushed heavily with the response being that they needed more data before having a season. Hmmm, I then pointed out to the WDFW staff that we had enjoyed a red rock season for years as part of the general crab season so why the need for more data to justify a continuance. Well, quite frankly that was one of two issues which I pushed which led to my tenure on the Advisory Group being limited to one term.

If you were to dig deeply you would find that Staff gave lip service to looking into a red rock season possibly limited to shallow water or even just docks but apparently that was it....lip service. Nothing came of it.

I knew you were a good guy, Larry! **ck 'em.

The word I remember being used for justification for getting rid of Advisors was "they were to confrontational " Translation is they actually knew what they were talking about and WDFW staff had no luck blowing smoke. If you got dumped it means you were doing a good job. They prefer rubber stampers!

Heck, they didn't even like the note-takers. Can't have a clear record of what was said.

Down to 17 area11 days this year.

Am I correct seeing MA 10 & 11open only Sundays & Mondays starting July 1st? What’s up? Never seen that before? If we only get two days a week why not Thursdays and Fridays? The 4th holiday tradition gone.

Theses daze it just amazes that folks are now a bit miffed that the wa- state folks that we all pay for are acting in this fashion. They only listen to us, because there are rules forcing them to listen, but no note taking however.

They do not, and will not act on behalf of those that pay for them, but instead are only following politicians crying for a wildlife, hunting, fishing, and recreational redistribution of this state’s wildlife and fisheries.

Kinda like restorative justice.

Yawning......

A number of us keep saying it but the ONLY thing that will get WDFW's attention is a steep decline in license sales. Money is all that matters and as long it flows in, they're happy.

I will take that as a compliment! Interesting that STaff actually came out to Crab and Shrimp advisers asking about how it was working. Hmmm, shouldn't have surprised them that they didn't receive responses from everyone. Too afraid of being tagged and politely not asked back.

I did receive a thank you letter from the Director. What it didn't include was an opportunity for an exit interview. Yea, I am dreaming.

One more observation about the whole advisory group concept. Good idea but if you do a search you will be unable to find a Commission policy providing clear direction on meetings being public and needing ample advance notice of topics so advisers can talk to their "constituents" and be able to provide feedback.

Oh, and apparently the Department has taken a position that advisory group metings are not subject to the Public Meetings Act since no decisions are being made. That leads to the absence of notes or minutes. That is strange given that at least for crab and shrimp it is the only opportunity for the public to have input on things like seasons.

Okay, enough rant for now.

Odd that "Back in the day" one of tasks on three different advisory groups was to take notes and circulate them to all members. But, to add to Larry's observations, I was eventually removed from all three. I do know that the agency was not happy to see notes recorded for one of the groups but we did it anyway.

minutes/notes are critical to developing not only trust but a willingness to work for conclusions.

I’d rather see it split days, so people can’t throw the pots out then leave overnight. The next day they bring out the neighbors to get as many as possible. I also would like to see the area 10/11 limit reduced to get more days.
Also if we are going to only get 17 days, then let me go whenever I want. I’ll register on a app like pikeminnow before I go out.

I just saw the notice that the Nisqually are getting 1000 lbs in area 13 for subsistence. I would guess that the squaxin will get some too. I do not have a problem with that, but it seems that the state could easily use a similar amount to be used as a buffer to allow a rock crab only season.

Are the populations of crab that bad south? Anybody know why? I get restrictions when populations can't handle harvest, and the tribe getting there share. Curious why? It used to be good. But also seems the populations have fluctuated over the years. What causes that?

Not sure the reason for the decline, but I haven’t seen a legal size dungie while cutthroat fishing MA 13 and the south end of MA 12 for years. Interesting though I do see small dungies. Maybe they are there, just deeper?
Used to see nice crab quite often. I still see a lot of legal size crab in other marine areas while fishing.
SF