I crab a lot at 8-2 during the crabbing season. Here's my 2 cents: By reducing the daily limit it will have no effect. The number of recreational crabbers is large and over the past few years it has gotten larger. A three month season, (open four days a week) will allow enough crabbers to take the same amount of legal crab whether the limit is 4 or 6. The pressure is huge. Last season the crabbing was bad over the last few weeks because it was crabbed out, no more legals. That will happen again even with a limit of 4.

Possible solutions? An annual limit. An annual season. Larger size restrictions. Indians and commercials face reductions too.

I find it interesting that we here in Washington are so @#$%& up, while in Oregon there is no problem. I watched a TV fishing show and the guide put out crab pots while they were salmon fishing. The limit was 8 per person and the size was 5 3/4". What are they doing right and we are doing wrong?

1.Oregon doesn't have a zillion people very close to good crabbing waters.
2. Do they have a non-tribal commercial crab fleet?
3. Do they give 50% of the allocation to OR tribes?

Finegrain:

1. no
2. no
3. no

What's my prize?

I submit that the tribes catch way over thei4r 50% and wipe out crab stocks throughout Puget Sound but especially in 8-2 and 8-1. I am surprised that an effort has not been made by anyone to verify the catch on the tribal side. I don't think the courts said that the tribes can have as many fish and crab and clams as they want with no accounting. Trouble is that the tribal courts would not enforce anything against a member accused of catching way to many crab. I'll say it for the zillionth time...TAKE PICTURES...post them on the internet...

I crab in some specific spots in area 10 that used to fish well for lots of recreational crabbers the entire season. The last few years, these areas have been pounded by commercial (tribal?) pots, literally pots 3 wide along the shelf space every 100 feet , day after day. You can pretty much forget about taking any legal crabs in these areas for some time after the commercials finish up.

TO: Puget Sound Recreational Crab Advisors

FR: Rich Lincoln

SU: 2005-06 SPORT RULE PROCESS


Hello Advisors,

On her way out the door last week for a two week vacation, Lisa had the opportunity to talk with the Director, Phil Anderson and myself about the rumors that seem to be flying around regarding some imminent action by the Fish and Wildlife Commission to reduce daily Dungeness crab bag limits in Puget Sound. I believe that most of you know there is no substance to this rumor, and I am asking each of you, as key advisors to the Department, to help us get information out to recreational crabbers about discussions we hope to have with you and the broader public in the context of the next annual sport rules process. This process would have a typical time frame of the Commission taking action on any proposed rules in February 2005, with any adoption of rules being in place for the May 1, 2005 - April 30, 2006 season.



I know that increasingly shortened crab seasons have been a significant topic for your advisory group, and that Lisa recently discussed a desire for the group to discuss potential management tools to increase recent season length within the context of current quotas and harvest sharing guidelines. I also realize that harvest sharing itself is also an big issue for most of you. Nevertheless, within any given available harvest, it seems intuitive that we should try to optimize the length and quality of opportunity on the water to the maximum extent possible.



Toward that end, we had envisioned a meeting with the advisory group this summer to look at a wide range of possible tools that might be used to better accomplish these objectives. Some types of examples for discussion might include the following:

* reduced days per week (Areas 8-1 and 8-2 are currently open 4 days per week, all other Puget Sound areas are open 7 days per week during the season)

* reduced hours per day

* alternating open weeks

* daily bag limit reductions

* annual bag limits



A desired outcome of these discussions would be the development of one or more potential rule change proposals that the Commission would consider as part of its 2005-06 public decision process. Alternatively, a conclusion might be reached that we should live with the approaches we have in place now for the 2005-06 season and continue to react in-season to shortening seasons if/when the pace of catches toward quotas continues its recent fast pace.



We will be back in touch with you about scheduling an advisory group meeting for further discussions on this topic. We are also considering collecting some public input through the WDFW website that the advisory group could use in its deliberations with us.



In summary the Department is not making any proposals to the Commission on this topic outside of those that would be potentially developed through the above process for the 2005-06 season. The advisors and the public will play a key role any creating any such proposals. We would appreciate your help in getting this basic message out to folks. I don't believe the public, the resource or the fishery is well served by having inaccurate rumors flying around.



For more general information on the 2005-06 rule process, please check out the following WDFW web address:

http://wdfw...wa.gov/fish/regs/fish_rule_proposals.htm



Thanks for your help.



Rich Lincoln

Natural Resource Policy Lead

WDFW

With the above quote in mind, if we all stop fishing for one year maybe we, the sport fishing community, may have our voice heard on issues we value. Just my .02