Recreational crabbers can head back onto the water in several parts of Puget Sound beginning Thursday as the winter crabbing season gets underway.The Washington
Recreational crabbers can head back onto the water in several parts of Puget Sound beginning Thursday as the winter crabbing season gets underway.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife said several marine areas will reopen for recreational crab fishing seven days a week from Oct. 1 through Dec. 31.
The areas reopening are:
Not all areas will reopen right away. WDFW said two marine areas remain closed because of concerns about softshell male crabs.
The agency is also reminding crabbers that Thursday is the deadline to submit their 2026 summer catch record cards or electronic crab catch record cards. The requirement applies even to people who did not keep any Dungeness crab during the summer season.
WDFW uses the summer catch data to help determine where winter crabbing can open and how long those seasons can remain open. The information also helps the agency assess the crab population.
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