Commercial Crabbing – Dungeness Crab Season Puget Sound Area
The Commercial Dungeness crab season is set to open October 1st 2013. Lets have a cheer!
What does this mean to the crab consumer?
Well… It’s the most wonderful time of the year if you’re crazy for crabs like we are. This is when we are dazzled with crab festivals, crab feasts and pretty much anything crabby.
The only other way you will be able to get crabs for this cheap (which is still quite pricey –crab is still and always will be a luxury item) is if you were to fish for them yourself. But you can’t now because the season is closed to sport crab fishing in this area. So making a Dungeness crab purchase is the next best thing.
Did I mention it’s the cheapest time of year to buy crabs? Especially in the first two weeks of the opening when they are bringing in loads of crabs. Mo’ crabs = less cost to you!
Last year throughout the entire season (2012) of the Puget sound area the commercial fisheries brought in a whopping 2,306,757! This is incredible! This area is busting at the seams with crabs. It’s no wonder beginner crabbers have so much success catching crabs here. If you don’t know how to catch crabs let us teach you with our simple to follow crab catching guide.
By the way, I’m going to the Crab Festival in Port Angeles October. 11-13 2013. Whose coming with me?
This information was taken directly from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife:
“The Puget Sound State Commercial Crab Fishery opened at 8:00 AM, Monday, October 1st, 2012 in Region 1, Region 2 East, Region 2 West, Region 3-1, Region 3-2 and Region 3-3. On October 31st, 2012 Region 2 West closed. On December 16th, 2012 The Everett Flats portion of Region 2 East was closed in order to protect molting crab in this small subarea. Region 2 West re-opened on February 1st ,2013 and closed for the season on February 12th, 2013 after reaching the regional allocation. This was followed shortly by the closure of Region 2 East on February 15th 2013. Currently Region 1, Region 3-1, Region 3-2 and Region 3-3 all remain open with 100 pot per license limit.”
Like your sports fishing license the dates are always changing so it’s a good idea to check out the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to find out up to the minute openings and closings in the different areas.
Here is the link:
http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/commercial/crab/pugetsound/landings.html
- Dungeness crabs
- Lots of dungies
- Purchase a whole bunch of crabs
Return from Dungeness Crabbing Season to How to Crab Home
Well, for any recreational crabbers out there its the worst time of year. There aren’t enough crabs to go around. The start of commercial crabbing means the end of recreational crabbing. You can try all you want but you won’t catch anything that isn’t a female or of legal size. Let me know when it ends.