south puget sound crabbing

[KB88]

Anyone hear through any secret grapevine about whether we will finally have a crabbing season down south this year?

[lokidog]

Doubtful, there is likely no local spawning since the environmental conditions haven't changed.

[blackpowderhunter]

Anyone hear through any secret grapevine about whether we will finally have a crabbing season down south this year?

id say 99.99999% you don't from what i've heard.

[crazywednesday]

Will the tribes still harvest?

[millerwheeler]

Anyone hear through any secret grapevine about whether we will finally have a crabbing season down south this year?

I was told from biologist to look at it as a  indefinite  closure and don't get your hopes up for any years to come .....
Great response right ! Think they would reduce commercial  a little considering  we are 3% of the impact in there numbers game

[Tbar]

Anyone hear through any secret grapevine about whether we will finally have a crabbing season down south this year?

I was told from biologist to look at it as a  indefinite  closure and don't get your hopes up for any years to come .....
Great response right ! Think they would reduce commercial  a little considering  we are 3% of the impact in there numbers game

Where did you get the 3% number? You might want to look into framework and allocation amongst user groups. Commercial has been shut down as long as rec has. There is an environmental change that Dungeness crab specifically have been devastated by. The light traps are picking up near zero of the megalope cohort so the outlook is dismal at best. We could get far more specific as to why its looking like indefinite, but they are all theories at this point. There is considerable effort being put into the "why".

[millerwheeler]

Anyone hear through any secret grapevine about whether we will finally have a crabbing season down south this year?

I was told from biologist to look at it as a  indefinite  closure and don't get your hopes up for any years to come .....
Great response right ! Think they would reduce commercial  a little considering  we are 3% of the impact in there numbers game

Where did you get the 3% number? You might want to look into framework and allocation amongst user groups. Commercial has been shut down as long as rec has. There is an environmental change that Dungeness crab specifically have been devastated by. The light traps are picking up near zero of the megalope cohort so the outlook is dismal at best. We could get far more specific as to why its looking like indefinite, but they are all theories at this point. There is considerable effort being put into the "why".

 The biologist I spoke with told me recreational grabbers only affect 3% of the numbers they use .  And yes I know commercial is shutdown in there but there is still a very active user group in there  crabbing just didn't want conversation to be blame cast on them cause there are many issues, she explained  also there are many things affecting it . Just disappointing

[Stein]

My understanding is that the tribe/non-tribe split is 50/50 and of our 50%, sport gets way more than commercial.  I would guess that isn't even across all areas, but statewide, tribal is the largest followed by recreational followed by commercial.

[Tbar]

Millerwheeler do you have the name of the biologist you spoke to (pm)? I think it's imperative to disseminate accurate information when given the opportunity.  Some of what you were told makes little sense. This is a catastrophic population collapse and wouldn't warrant effort even if allowed. There may be confusion as to the activity you are referencing in regards to target species, I'm not sure but clarity could be valuable.

[Jake Dogfish]

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Commercial-and-recreational-landings-of-Dungeness-crab-including-both-tribal-and_fig3_235143906

[Tbar]

https://www.researchgate.net/figure/Commercial-and-recreational-landings-of-Dungeness-crab-including-both-tribal-and_fig3_235143906

Not sure what you're getting at Jake.

[millerwheeler]

Millerwheeler do you have the name of the biologist you spoke to (pm)? I think it's imperative to disseminate accurate information when given the opportunity.  Some of what you were told makes little sense. This is a catastrophic population collapse and wouldn't warrant effort even if allowed. There may be confusion as to the activity you are referencing in regards to target species, I'm not sure but clarity could be valuable.

I will def try to look back in call.log and figure out the phone number for ya and I do not remember name but it was last year before season.  I'll day track it down and pm ya

[millerwheeler]

My understanding is that the tribe/non-tribe split is 50/50 and of our 50%, sport gets way more than commercial.  I would guess that isn't even across all areas, but statewide, tribal is the largest followed by recreational followed by commercial.

Recreational is more of an impact than commercial ? That's  LAUGHABLE  think on that really

[Tbar]

My understanding is that the tribe/non-tribe split is 50/50 and of our 50%, sport gets way more than commercial.  I would guess that isn't even across all areas, but statewide, tribal is the largest followed by recreational followed by commercial.

Recreational is more of an impact than commercial ? That's  LAUGHABLE  think on that really

I'd be happy to take you for a ride in 7 or 8 when the season starts.  The effort is only rivaled by maybe lowland lakes opener. I think(north sound)  is one of the last strongholds in terms of success for the rec fleet.  That said the launch wait times are usually 1 hour or more. 

[Dysfunctional Vet]

Wonder what rec guy uses 5 tons of bait in a season. Hmmmmmmm

[KB88]

Well why can’t they keep it open for red rock at least? I mean yea sure they aren’t as good but I have no shame in the red rock game. That’s like saying the mule deer population is catastrophically low, therefore we won’t allow any deer hunting including white tails in the area.    Just irritated, I live a mile from salt on both sides and can’t get my crab on.

[Stein]

It would be too difficult to patrol, let's face it there are a ton of sportsmen that don't read regulations as well as crab poachers.

It's a bit easier for me to say it as I'm not down there, but the best option is to leave them alone until they can recover.

[lokidog]

It would be too difficult to patrol, let's face it there are a ton of sportsmen that don't read regulations as well as crab poachers.

It's a bit easier for me to say it as I'm not down there, but the best option is to leave them alone until they can recover.

Unfortunately, this is too true. I have to remind people all the time out here on the closed days....

[millerwheeler]

My understanding is that the tribe/non-tribe split is 50/50 and of our 50%, sport gets way more than commercial.  I would guess that isn't even across all areas, but statewide, tribal is the largest followed by recreational followed by commercial.

Recreational is more of an impact than commercial ? That's  LAUGHABLE  think on that really

I'd be happy to take you for a ride in 7 or 8 when the season starts.  The effort is only rivaled by maybe lowland lakes opener. I think(north sound)  is one of the last strongholds in terms of success for the rec fleet.  That said the launch wait times are usually 1 hour or more.

And are those areas more full.bow because of closure elsewhere ?  Gonna be same affect for those areas next I suppose .

[Tbar]

Millerwheeler, area 7 and 8 are always very popular rec areas.  I would guess there's some economic benefits to the local economy via day crabbers now make a trip of it.  To your statement about the future, I will say we all hope not.  The south sound had a catastrophic population collapse that was not due to overfishing.  Nearly every cohort in the population disappeared almost at once. The fishery is designed to be as sustainable as any fishery in the world.  Harvesting (lsm) 6 1/4 inch and larger males is biologically sustainable.  As long as your adult female population is physically smaller as well as not harvested this is a good model.  That said a collapse could absolutely happen. The only way to attempt to avoid (if possible) this is to monitor the crab ary all life stages instead of looking only at the lsm surplus as the only measure.  Unfortunately this level of analysis was not done in the past, it is however a focal point going forward.

[Stein]

Something is happening in the south sound that isn’t happening up north.  So far it is a localized issue.  Maybe it gets better, maybe it spreads north.

As was stated, something wiped out an entire generation of crab there and all we know is that it wasn’t pots.


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[millerwheeler]

Millerwheeler, area 7 and 8 are always very popular rec areas.  I would guess there's some economic benefits to the local economy via day crabbers now make a trip of it.  To your statement about the future, I will say we all hope not.  The south sound had a catastrophic population collapse that was not due to overfishing.  Nearly every cohort in the population disappeared almost at once. The fishery is designed to be as sustainable as any fishery in the world.  Harvesting (lsm) 6 1/4 inch and larger males is biologically sustainable.  As long as your adult female population is physically smaller as well as not harvested this is a good model.  That said a collapse could absolutely happen. The only way to attempt to avoid (if possible) this is to monitor the crab ary all life stages instead of looking only at the lsm surplus as the only measure.  Unfortunately this level of analysis was not done in the past, it is however a focal point going forward.

Appreciate the info and reply