This is from the Holiday Market board and has some interesting facts on crabbing in the Everett/Possession area. Doesn't look like good news. Hard to believe that the harvest could go from 3.7 million pounds to 9 million pounds in 7 years but I suppose since everything but crab is closed maybe it did.

=)

2002-03 Dungeness Crab Fishery Information,Including Marine Areas 8-1, 8-2, and
9December 20, 2002General InformationThe amount of Dungeness crab being
harvested in Puget Sound has increased from 3.7 million pounds in 1994 to
nearly 9 million pounds in 2001. The reasons for this change include: (1) a
general increase in crab abundance throughout Puget Sound during this period,
(2) the implementation of the Rafeedie federal court order, which allocated 50%
of the crab resource to the treaty tribes, (3) tribal fishers quickly developed
the capabilities to harvest their full share, and (4) a growing sport
harvesting population that began targeting shellfish when salmon and other fin
fish abundance began declining, resulting in significant reductions in fin fish
seasons and fishing time. Also, although the number of state commercial crab
licenses is limited and has not changed since the 1980's, in many instances the
state commercial fishers have been forced to fish in new areas that have
yielded substantial harvests, adding to the increase in crab landings.The
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) works cooperatively with a
crab advisory group, consisting of volunteer sport and commercial crab fishers
from throughout Puget Sound, on how to structure seasons, manage their
respective fisheries with area, time, and gear restrictions to meet the needs
of the fishers, and to provide ideas on how to address emerging issues. The
2002-2003 sport harvest plan incorporates conservation guidelines and proposals
primarily put forth by the sport advisors. Periodically, openings become
available on the crab advisory board and individuals interested in
participating in this process should contact WDFW.The Department and sport
advisors are currently exploring means to extend the season length in areas
where sport crab seasons have been shortened. Options under consideration
include reducing the daily bag limit, reducing the number of fishing days per
week, or splitting the sport crab season into summer and winter
components.Dungeness crab in Puget Sound is currently managed by quota. Quota
based management provides a known preseason quantity that state managers can
use to design sport and commercial fisheries. It provides a secondary
conservation benefit by matching harvest with relative abundance. Annual
quotas are based on an average of the past three to five years of crab catch,
and are done for each of the six crab management areas in Puget Sound. The
State of Washington and the treaty tribes equally share the annual crab quotas,
as per federal court order. The state then divides its share of crab between
the sport and commercial fisheries, under policy direction from the Washington
Fish and Wildlife Commission.All crab fishing is closed, including ring pots
and wade fisheries, during the molting (soft-shell) period to minimize handling
mortality. Seasonal closures are based on cooperative test fisheries conducted
by biological staff from WDFW and the treaty tribes. Area specific closures
vary throughout Puget Sound because of environmental and behavioral conditions
and are announced in news releases and on the toll free shellfish regulation
hotline at 1-866-880-5431, and are listed on the WDFW web site at
www.wa.gov/wdfw/fish/shelfish/crabreg.Crab fishing must also be closed whenever
the sport or commercial share of the state's annual crab quota in a particular
area has been harvested. These allocation closures are necessary to meet the
50/50 sharing requirements with the treaty tribes. Allocation closures in
state fisheries are dependent upon the number of fishers participating and
their success in catching crab. The more successful fishers there are in a
given season, the shorter the season may be.The Commission's policy on
allocation of the State's crab harvest share from Region 2 was designed to
maintain the same level of sharing between commercial and sport fishers that
occurred prior to the Rafeedie Decision in 1995, which required a 50/50 sharing
with the treaty tribes. During the 1990 through 1999 seasons in Region 2, the
average state commercial fishery share of the state's catch has been 60
percent. During the five years following the federal court ruling on tribal
shellfish fishing rights (1995-1999), the state commercial fishery has
harvested an average 63 percent of the state's share of crab.Since 2001, the
sport crab catches in Puget Sound are estimated using Catch Record Cards (CRC).
In-season sport catch estimates are generated through a telephone survey
conducted by a professional polling company under contract with WDFW. Randomly
selected CRC holders are asked to report all of their crab catch from April 1
to the date of the survey. The average crab catch per CRC holder is then
applied to the total number of Catch Record Cards issued. The result is an
estimate of the total sport crab catch, by Marine Area and month. These sport
catch estimates are conducted twice per year for crab, once during the summer
and once towards the end of the season (February-March). The sport estimates
generated by the CRC methodology are statistically more accurate than those
generated by the field based survey method used prior to 2000.State and tribal
commercial crab fishers must have a valid commercial license to harvest and
sell crab. Both state and tribal commercial fish catches are reported on a
legal document called a fish ticket. At the point of sale, licensed buyers
fill out fish tickets when the crab are weighed and sold. Copies of the
commercial fish tickets are sent to WDFW within 72 hours and recorded in a
catch-reporting database. Accounting for catch in the state and tribal
commercial fisheries is easier and more accurate than in a sport fishery.As of
December 20, 2002, sport crab fishing is still open in the San Juan Islands
(Marine Area 7); Strait of Juan de Fuca (Marine Areas 4, 5, and 6); Hood Canal,
south of a line from Olele Point to Foulweather Bluff (southern portion of
Marine Area 9 and all of Marine Area 12); and Deep South Sound (Marine Areas 11
and 13). Central Sound (Marine Area 10) is scheduled to close on January 2,
2003.Crab Management Region 2 East (Marine Areas 8-1 and 8-2):Crab Management
Region 2 East is that portion of Puget Sound that contains Marine Areas 8-1 and
8-2. It extends southward from Deception Pass through Skagit Bay, Saratoga
Pass, and includes Port Susan, Port Gardner, and Possession Sound.The 2002 crab
quota for state fisheries in Marine Areas 8-1 and 8-2 is 900,000 pounds;
350,000 pounds for the sport fishery and 550,000 pounds for the commercial
fishery. This is the same quota and allocation as last year. However, this
season the sport quota was reduced to 300,000 pounds to account for 50,000
pounds of overage in the sport quota in 2001, as per the annual management
plans with the treaty tribes. The commercial fishery did not harvest its full
quota in 2001.The sport crab fishery opened on June 7 in these two Marine Areas
and closed on September 6, 2002. During this period the estimated sport catch
was 335,000 pounds. In addition, sport crab fishing was restricted to four
days each week in an attempt to extend the season and not overharvest the sport
quota. The shortened season was due to an increase in the number of sport
fishers and a high success rate in popular sport fishing locations. This crab
management region will remain closed to sport crab fishing until this spring,
after the annual crab molt is finished.Per annual agreement, tribal and state
commercial fishers agreed to allow sport fishers exclusive use of Coronet Bay,
Utsalady Bay, southern Holmes Harbor, Langley, Glendale, and southern Port
Gardner during the summer months. These non-commercial zones are subject to
renegotiation each year.The state commercial fishery in Marine Areas 8-1 and
8-2 opened for the first time this season on October 1. The fishery is
proceeding slower than expected because of lower crab abundance after the state
sport and tribal quotas have been taken. Through December 16, 2002, the state
commercial fishers have harvested 365,000 pounds and may not take their entire
quota.All crab fishing is scheduled to close on January 1, 2003 in the Everett
area and on February 15, 2003 for the remainder of Marine Areas 8-1 and 8-2
because of soft shell conditions.The spring openings for sport and treaty
Indian crab fishers are based on test fishing results. The 2003 test fisheries
will occur in late April or early May for Marine Area 8-2 and late May or early
June for Marine Area 8-1. The 2003 quotas have not been determined at this
time.Crab Management Region 2 West (Marine Area 9, excluding that portion of
Hood Canal south of a line from Olele Point to Foulweather Bluff and north of
the Hood Canal Bridge):Crab Management Region 2 West is all of Marine Area 9,
excluding that portion of Hood Canal south of a line from Olele Point to
Foulweather Bluff and north of the Hood Canal Bridge. It includes Port
Townsend Bay and extends southward to the Edmonds - Kingston area.The 2002 crab
quota for state fisheries in Marine Area 9 is 175,000 pounds. The highest
recorded catch for the combined state fisheries in Marine Area 9 was recorded
in 2001 at 200,000 pounds.The sport crab fishery opened on June 1 and closed on
September 6, 2002. During this period, the estimated sport catch was 90,000
pounds. The shortened season was due to an increase in the number of sport
fishers and a high success rate in popular sport fishing locations. This crab
management region will remain closed to sport crab fishing until the annual
molt is finished this spring.Per annual agreement, tribal and state commercial
fishers agreed to allow sport fishers exclusive use of Port Townsend Bay and
northern Useless Bay during the summer months, approximately June through
September. However, these restrictions are subject to renegotiation each
year.All crab fishing is scheduled to close in Marine Area 9 on March 1, 2003
because of soft shell conditions.The spring openings for sport and treaty
Indian crab fishers are based on test fishing results. The 2003 test fisheries
will occur in May for Marine Area 9 with the expectation that the sport fishery
will reopen on June 1st. The 2003 quotas have not been determined at this
time.The state commercial fishery in Marine Area 9 opened for the first time
this season on October 1st. The fishery is proceeding slower than expected
because of lower crab abundance after the sport and tribal quotas have been
taken. Through December 16, 2002, the state commercial fishers have harvested
44,000 pounds and will likely reach their quota before the annual molt begins
in March.Commercial fishing was allowed throughout Port Townsend Bay prior to
1997. A regulation was adopted in 1997 that excluded state commercial fishing
in the northern half of the bay. This regulation was intended to reduce the
potential gear conflicts (crowding) between the sport and commercial fishing
groups. During sport fishing closures, state fisheries managers can exercise
the option to allow commercial fishing in the northern portion of the bay. On
an interim basis, state commercial fishers were allowed into all waters of Port
Townsend Bay beginning October 1, 2002. Easement of this fishing regulation
will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis each year.Information contact: Rich
Childers, Point Whitney (360) 586-1498, ext. 400; Norm Lemberg, LaConner
District Office, (360) 466-4345, ext. 240; or Steve Burton, Mill Creek Regional
Office, (425) 775-1311, ext. 126.

FISHING RULE CHANGE
WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091

December 17, 2002

Marine Area 10 closes to crab fishing January 2, 2003

Actions: The recreational crab fishery in Marine Area 10 will close January 2,
2003, until further notice.
Effective date: January 2, 2003 at 12:01 am.
Species affected: Dungeness and red rock crab
Location: All waters of Marine Area 10
Reason for action: Recreational quota for Dungeness crab have been reached and
Marine Area 10 will close until further notice.
Other information: All waters of Marine Areas 8-1, 8-2 and that portion of
Marine Area 9 north of a line extending from Foulweather Bluff to Olele Point
will remain closed to recreational crab fishing until further notice.
All other marine areas including the portion of Marine Area 9 south of a line
that extends from Foulweather Bluff to Olele Point are open seven days per week
with a six-crab daily limit. Fishers are reminded to record their Dungeness
crab on their catch record card immediately when crab are kept.
Information contact: Rich Childers, Point Whitney (360) 586-1498, ext. 400;
Norm Lemberg, LaConner District Office, (360) 466-4345, ext. 240; or Don
Velasquez, Mill Creek Regional Office, (425) 775-1311, ext. 112.