Washington commercial crabbers have hauled in their gear for the year, capping one of the most lucrative seasons in state history.

As of Sunday, Sept. 21, commercial Dungeness crab fishermen in Washington caught about 12.1 million pounds of crab (or more than 16 million when including the 4.1 million pounds landed by tribal fisheries), generating an ex-vessel value of $83.1 million — the second highest total on record, only trailing $88 million generated during the 2022 season.

Last year, in 2024, Washington commercial crabbers generated approximately $66 million for around 17 million pounds of crab.

Commercial crabbers relished record opening prices this past season, which inflated the ex-vessel value despite relatively meager landing totals. The 12 million pounds landed this season was the lowest amount since 2021, and roughly half the total of the record haul that occurred in 2023 (24 million pounds).

The 2025 season officially opened on Jan. 15, following weeks of delays due to low meat yield. The first landings of the season earned a record opening price of $5.75 per pound, which helped buoy a relatively low catch volume.

As in the past, the vast majority of crab was caught in the fishing-rich waters just west of Long Beach, designated as Catch Area 60A-2, extending approximately from the Columbia River north to Westport. This area accounted for more than 6.5 million pounds, roughly 54% of total statewide landings.

Willapa Bay, designated as Catch Area 60C, accounted for slightly over 1 million pounds, nearly 9% of the state total.

The heaviest landings occurred in February, when commercial crabbers delivered more than 5 million pounds before tapering to less than 9,000 pounds in September, the final month.