Winter Crab

[blackpowderhunter]

That's the big question.  WDFW can't prosecute and the commercial side has plenty of friends in Olympia.  My best guess is that the crabbing was so good they decided to just go for it and make a killing which would cover any wrist slapping that might happen.  I was tossing back monster softshell the last few days which I have never done before.

THIS is my issue with it.
I figured (guessing) for them the profits FAR outweighed the potential fines they faced.  They knew what they were doing.
But you know what...what happens if they catch you or myself rolling back into the launch with 1 undersized crab, or 1 female, or 1 male over the limit.
My issue is that the punishment should be proportional to the crime.  Frustrating as it is, I'm hoping wdfw follows through on this...but..not holding my breath.  Im just bummed because i enjoy winter crabbing so much and love being able to do some holiday crab boils.

[Stein]

What I don't know is who does the reporting?  It sounded like the processors are the ones that delayed the report, not the fleet.  If so, that makes it a bit more tough for WDFW than if it was a commercial license holder.

Either way, I don't expect much of anything to happen but hope I am surprised.  They could always introduce a penalty both financial as well as the quota next year or timing of the seasons or breaks in the season, but there would be a ton of kicking and screaming if that happened.  End story is that WDFW has limitations, but they could get moderately creative and set an example if they want.  We'll see one way or another how serious they are.

[J.Brower]

Yes, it is the buyers that are required to report the catch, not the vessel. I questioned why us sport fishermen are lumped into the same quota as the commercial guys. It seems it would make more sense for us to have our own quota to meet, maybe 1/3 or 1/4 of the total state quota (not including tribal, that’s a whole other story). But nothing in this state makes sense.


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[Skillet]

What I don't know is who does the reporting?  It sounded like the processors are the ones that delayed the report, not the fleet.  If so, that makes it a bit more tough for WDFW than if it was a commercial license holder.

Either way, I don't expect much of anything to happen but hope I am surprised.  They could always introduce a penalty both financial as well as the quota next year or timing of the seasons or breaks in the season, but there would be a ton of kicking and screaming if that happened.  End story is that WDFW has limitations, but they could get moderately creative and set an example if they want.  We'll see one way or another how serious they are.

As mentioned above, it is the person that writes the fish ticket (usually the licensed commercial buyer) who is responsible for reporting catches to the WDFW.  If you can write fish tickets, you are licensed by both the WDFW and the WA DOR.  Plenty of enforcement opportunity against the buyers if they choose to make an example of this, and it sounds like they will try.  This is pretty embarrassing for the WDFW, and I don't think they like that much.  It's possible the crabbers themselves may have suspected they were overharvesting at some late point in the game, but the season remained open.  So they fished, as I would have.  In the high-value dungy business you keep going until the bell rings.

When I land salmon and halibut in WA and sell them myself (under a catcher-seller permit issued by WDFW), I have been required to report via phone or email by 10 am the next business day, as well as submit my hard-copy fish ticket within 7 days.  There is no excuse good enough to fall short of either requirement in the WDFW's eyes.

 

[jeffro]

What makes me mad is I just moved to Camano and purchased 14’ Lund just for crabbing in my back yard. And got two whole days to drop pots
My 24’ trophy is at Everett Marina, which is an hour drive and a long run to 9 if the wind kicks up. Not to say I don’t do it.
But hard to get the girlfriend to ride along when it’s rough.

Bring on the winter blackmouth, I can be at Camano head in 5 mins after walking out the door

[J.Brower]

Looks like 8-1/8-2 are re-opening for sport crabbing through the end of the year!!


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[Jake Dogfish]

Wow   
Thanks for posting that.  More detailed than the rumors I had heard.
Whatever happens, the resource will likely pay for this mistake. 
It would be nice to crab in the South Sound again someday but not looking good. 

No, recreational will.


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https://wdfw.wa.gov/news/marine-areas-8-1-and-8-2-reopening-late-season-recreational-crab-fishing

The resource always pays for mans mistakes.  The tribes will be harvesting there “share” as well...

[Stein]

It's magic I say, reopen recreational and it's like nothing happened.