Crabbing

P

Pat Anderson

New member
Well, the Washington crabbing season opened the Fourth of July in Areas 7S (San Juans) and 7E (Bellingham to Anacortes). 7N does not open until August 15 - and only stays open through Labor Day. We went to Eliza, first soak netted one lousy red rock crab. Moved over to just off Lummi, and second soak netted two females and one undersized male Dungie. Had to get back to Birch Bay because Patty's sister was coming, or we would have tried a couple of more soaks at Lummi. So we were skunked for the day. David, who always limits at Cook Cove at Guemes, got only four on opening day. The people we were able to see pulling their pots did not do any better, and what we heard on the radio was stuff like "I only got one." Not a good beginning. We are heading back out today, my cousin is showing us where he goes, and he usually does OK, so we shall see.

[RANT MODE = ON] Meanwhile, the damn WDFW planes are overhead, counting boats or pots or whatever they count. Naturally they are assuming we are all limiting and will probably close the season in a week because the recreational quota has been reached. The recreational allocation is so small anyway, I forget but somebody had the percentage a year or so ago, what is it, 4% or something. And we are the last in line for the allocation. It's just not like it was a few short years ago, and it's pretty discouraging. I think there still are plenty of crabs, it is just who WDFW decides can take them and when. [RANT MODE = OFF]

 
Easy Pat, easy. So Patty's out in the 25 footer alone, the bureaucrat air force is buzzin the boats, and the crabs are laughing at you. Try to relax..think Bellingham..and have a beer. :hug2
 
Not much different around Guemes. I had the pots set for 8 hours on the 5th and got 3 keepers. I am hearing the same from crabbers around here also.
 
Pat,

I agree it's not like it was a few short years ago but I think the problem is mismanagement and over harvest. The crabs just aren't there in the numbers that used to be. Everyone is coming up short - there's a lot of ranting on the fishing web boards about how bad the opener was. Same problem from the south end to the north end of the sound - not many crabs anywhere.

If you were out earlier in the year (and I know YOU were), it's not hard to see where many of the remaining crabs went - commercial and tribal pots out all over the place. Just like recreational shrimping, recreational crabbing is becoming a joke. These damn creatures are just plain over harvested and the WDFW needs to put a stop to it for everyone. THEN, when the shrimp and crabs come back (and they will if left alone for a few years), we can talk about how to do the allocations. The percentage allocation to the tribes (50% of the total) is not going to change as long as the Boldt decision remains in force. I do however believe that the tribal pots probably take more than 50% as the monitoring is poor. The remaining 50% is split between the commercials and the sporties with the sporties getting both a lower share and a later start.

This needs to change. Essentially the tribals are a special class of commercial fisherman so I'm not sure we need non-tribal commercial crabbers too (especially in the sound). From an economic perspective, the $'s into the state from a pound of sport caught crab (salmon or anything for that matter) is much higher than the $'s generated from the same pound caught commercially. It doesn't make good economic sense (especially when harvests are low) to give any at all to the non-tribal commercials as more jobs, taxes etc. are generated by recreational fishing. HOWEVER, the commercial guys have a good lobby and the sporties are disorganized. That may change in Wash. and Oregon with the recent Coastal Conservation Association (CCA) efforts to organize local chapters. The CCA has done a great job in Texas and Fla for sport fishing. You might consider joining as they are likely to become the most effective lobbying group sport fishermen have in our state.
 
rogerbum":4al153a1 said:
Pat,

The percentage allocation to the tribes (50% of the total) is not going to change as long as the Boldt decision remains in force.
Click to expand...


That Boldt decision is so old - seems it should be revised, esp since the tribes have been resourceful in coming up with other modern forms of sustenance (eg: gambling)
 
Seems to be a general problem.
Nothing doing even down here in Holmes Harbor on Whidbey where there is virtually no pressure from commercial or Tribal.
Last year it was up to 5 keepers per pot for a few weeks.
This year 3 pulls on two pots (overnight soaks) equals 3 females and a sea star.

Maybe I have to go to the Casino and see if I can win some !!

Merv
 
Dusty,

I was kinda hoping you would be the one to teach us how, but if you can't do it.... us poor mortals have no hope.

Maybe we should all refuse to buy US licenses and go fish in Canada and let our government know why !

Of course Ron is now going to be mad at me. Eh!

Merv
 
Well while I am still boatless, I ferried it over to Kingston from Edmonds and dropped some nets in at the pier there. Got 5 just barely legal Rock Crab and 1 Dungeoness. The crabs do seem small this year and not so many of them.

Good thing they sell the dungeoness live at fish markets or the significant other would be wondering what I was out doing all night... ;-) And after adding up the ferry rides it may be cheaper to buy em live.
 
I agree, it's very frustrating to see those commercial pots laid out in a grid to suck up every last crab...
We fared a bit better with this opening - got a couple of really nice,large dungees and several more that were well over legal.
Want to know where? I could tell ya, but then I'd have to kill ya....
 
What's the difference between your Dungeness and ours down here? The Oregon crabs are molting and soft this time of year. Generally the months without an "R" (credit CatyMae for that tidbit) in the name are poor for crabbing (just the opposite of razor clamming) for us. When do the north-of-OR Dungeness molt?
 
Well, yesterday my cousin Ray launched his Arima and we launched the Crabby Lou at Squalicum, to try this crabbing thing again. A short way out, Ray had motor trouble and decided to turn back. We tried his spot, nothing, nadda, zilch. Back over to Eliza, a short soak and we are crabless no longer - ONE barely legal Dungie, and a couple of females, but hey, a crab is a crab. Undecided as to whether we will try yet again today, probably not.

 
Pat,

Sorry about your crabbing. We have been doing okay here (about 10 mi. south of EQ) near Strawberry Pt. - some over 8 1/2 inches. This in spite of hundreds of commercial pots. Limits each day, but tomorrow??

Dusty
 
Merv,

Old Duster is about as mere as a mortal can get! After the second cuppa (Bill, where are you when I need a primo Latte?) I'll graduate to sub-human.

Have a shrimping trip planned today, er, make that scouting for shrimp plan. I'll let you know. :roll:

Dusty
 
Dusty,
Just talking to you brought us luck. Moved pots back to where I usually put them (Duh) and took 7 out of 2 pots on an overnight. Other difference was we got there in the fog before other "predators" might be up and about !! :idea:

Will be passing near Strawberry sometime tomorrow as we go to haul out in OH or maybe CB so may see ya.

Merv
 
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