Statewide Shellfish Pot Rules—
Crab, Shrimp, & Crawfish
• Every shellfish pot, ring net, or star trap
left
unattended in Washington waters must have its
own buoy line and a separate buoy that is permanently and legibly marked with the owner’s
first name, last name, and permanent address
(telephone number is voluntary).
It is ILLEGAL to set or pull
unattended shellfish gear with a
buoy that does not have your name on it, and
only one name and address may appear on
each buoy.
<---attended gear can whatever you want on it 
Any angler may assist the person
whose name is on the buoy while he or she
is pulling the pot. No fisher may set, or pull
shellfish gear from a vessel, in Marine Areas 1-13,
from one hour after official sunset to one hour
before official sunrise. All shellfish gear must
be removed from the water on closed days.
• Buoys must be constructed of durable material.
It is unlawful to use bleach, antifreeze, or detergent bottles, paint cans
or any other container. Buoys must be visible on the surface at all times <---if left unattended
except during extreme tidal conditions. Personal flags and staff, if attached to buoys, can
be of any color. Buoy lines must be weighted
sufficiently to prevent them from floating on
the surface.
• All crab, shrimp, and crawfish pots must be
equipped with a biodegradable device (rot/
escape cord) which must be affixed to the pot
in at least one of the following ways:
1. Securing the pot lid hook or tie down strap
with a single loop of rot cord; or
2. Sewing a 3" by 5" escape panel in the upper
half of pot closed with rot cord; or
3. Attaching the pot lid or one pot side (serving as a pot lid) with no more than three
single loops of rot cord.
Cord used must be untreated 100% cotton,
hemp, jute, or sisal no larger than thread size
120 (1⁄8"). This cord, when attached as described
above, must be able to rot away and allow crab,
shrimp, crawfish and fish to escape freely if the
pot is lost. A derelict crab pot without proper
escape cord can attract and kill crabs for years
after the pot has been lost.
