After a lengthy delay because of unsafe marine toxin levels, the $20 million annual coastal commercial Dungeness crab fishery will open at 9 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 16.
Tuesday’s announcement came after two months of weekly testing for domoic acid in Dungeness crab; levels remained too high to allow for a fishery until now, keeping the commercial crab boats stuck at the docks.
The season will open at 9 a.m. Tuesday, with the 73-hour gear pre-set period starting at 9 a.m. Saturday, said state Fish and Wildlife coastal shellfish manager Dan Ayres. Hold inspections will be conducted starting at noon on February 15.
The recreational fishery will remain closed.
“The state Department of Health is holding firm with their recommendation to keep sport crabbing closed,” said Ayres.
Because elevated levels of domoic acid persist off the coast south of Point Chehalis near Westport, Ayres said the state Department of Health has issued a formal recommendation that Fish and Wildlife require evisceration — gutting — of all crab landed from south of Point Chehalis. This has created some new requirements.
Washington commercial license holders and vessels designated on those licenses choosing to land crab only for an evisceration market must declare this choice at the time of their hold inspection. The vessel hold inspection certificate will clearly indicate that choice as “EVS.” In addition, dual licensed vessels with an Oregon vessel hold inspection will also be required to eviscerate all crab landed into Washington.
Crab landed under an evisceration vessel hold inspection certificate must be eviscerated and cannot be sold for whole cooked crab or live crab markets.
Washington license holders and vessels designation on those licenses choosing to land crab into any market, including whole cooked and live crab, must declare this choice at the time of their hold inspection. The vessel hold inspection certificate will clearly indicate that choice as “NORTH. “
Vessels fishing with a north vessel hold inspection certificate may only set gear north of Pt. Chehalis, including inside Grays Harbor. Crab landed under a north vessel hold inspection certificate can be sold for live, whole cooked or evisceration markets.
The state will continue to test crab on a regular basis. If there are changes in the recommendation for areas requiring evisceration, Fish and Wildlife will require any license or vessel with a current evisceration vessel hold inspection to land all crab before receiving a new hold inspection that will allow them to land crab into whole cooked and live markets.
All specific provisions in tribal agreements have been satisfied and the various tribal special management areas locations remain the same as the 2019-20 season, said Ayres.
More information, including other requirements and special management areas, can be found online at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/commercial/crab/coastal/.
