Submitted by WDFW

Most areas of Puget Sound will close to recreational crab fishing on Labor Day on Sept. 4, but not marine areas 7-North and 7-South near the San Juan Islands.

These two areas will remain open Thursdays through Mondays each week through Sept. 30. Sport fishers who crab in those two areas after Sept. 4 must record their catch on winter catch record cards, which are available at sporting goods stores and other license vendors across the state.

Crabbers can submit summer catch record cards to WDFW by mail at CRC Unit, P.O. Box 43142, Olympia, WA 98504-3142. They can also report their catch online at fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/#/login from Sept. 5 through Oct. 1.

Crabbers who fail to file their catch reports on time will face a $10 fine when they purchase a 2018 Puget Sound crab endorsement.

“Catch reports play a major role in determining how much crab is still available for harvest during the winter season,” said Bob Sizemore, WDFW’s shellfish policy lead. “It’s important that we receive reports from everyone licensed to fish for crab in Puget Sound — whether or not they caught crab this year.”

Sizemore said WDFW will announce winter crab seasons for Puget Sound in early October, after completing its assessment of the summer fishery.

For more information about recreational crabbing in Puget Sound, visit wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/shellfish/crab.