All recreational and commercial crabbers!
Unless you harvest with “rings”or a trap that collapses completely when let go, then you are legally required to use escape cord. Not only is it Washingt state law, but it helps ensure that more crabs are out there to catch! Most (but not all!) traps will come equipped with escape cord. It is important to replace it with escape cord when that degrades.
Where to use it and when:
* June 18: Marine areas 4 (Neah Bay east of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line), 5 (Sekiu) and 13 (south Puget Sound) will open seven days per week through Jan. 2, 2009.
* July 2: Marine areas 6 (eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca), 7 South (San Juan Islands), 8-1 (Deception Pass to East Point), 8-2 (East Point to Possession Point), 9 (Admiralty Inlet), 10 (Seattle/Bremerton), 11 (Tacoma/Vashon) and 12 (Hood Canal) will open Wednesdays through Saturdays only, plus the entire Labor Day weekend and will close the evening of Sept. 1 for a catch assessment. These areas will reopen in the fall if recreational harvest quotas have not been met.
* July 16: Marine Area 7 East (Bellingham and Samish bays) will open Wednesdays through Saturdays only, plus the entire Labor Day weekend and will close the evening of Sept. 27.
* Aug. 13: Marine Area 7 North (Lummi Island/Blaine) will open Wednesdays through Saturdays only, plus the entire Labor Day weekend and will close the evening of Sept. 27.
More information about crabbing seasons and regulations can be found on the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife web site at:
http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/shelfish/crab/index.htm