Puget Sound winter crabbing reopens Oct. 1 in selected marine areas

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Sept. 29 news release reopens recreational crabbing seven days a week from Oct. 1 through Dec. 31 in Marine Areas 4 (Neah Bay east of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line), 5 (Sekiu and Pillar Point), 6 (East Juan de Fuca Strait, Port Angeles Harbor, and Discovery Bay), 7 North and 7 South (San Juan Islands), 9 (Admiralty Inlet), and only the part of Area 12 (Hood Canal) north of Ayock Point.

Several areas do not come back with that opener. Marine Areas 10 (Seattle and Bremerton) and 11 (Tacoma and Vashon Island) stay closed for now because the summer sport fishery left little quota; managers will look again after catch cards are entered. Areas 8-1 (Deception Pass, Hope Island, and Skagit Bay) and 8-2 (Port Susan and Port Gardner) also stay closed over softshell crab. Area 13 (South Puget Sound) and Area 12 south of Ayock Point remain closed for the winter on continued poor abundance.

The Puget Sound daily bag is five hard-shell male Dungeness crab at least 6¼ inches across the carapace. Crabbers may also keep six red rock crab of either sex at a 5-inch minimum and six Tanner crab of either sex at 4½ inches. Anyone 16 or older needs a current Washington fishing license and a Puget Sound Dungeness crab endorsement. Winter catch record cards are required for late-season Dungeness, and those reports are due Feb. 1, 2027.

Summer paper or electronic catch record cards are due Oct. 1 whether or not any Dungeness were kept. Missing that deadline adds a $10 non-reporting penalty on a 2027 Puget Sound crab endorsement. From a boat, traps may be set or pulled only from one hour before official sunrise until one hour after official sunset.

Photo: John Olson / Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife.

This is a The Gillnet news desk summary, not a reprint.

Source: WDFW — Winter crabbing season opens Oct. 1 in several Puget Sound marine areas (Sept. 29, 2026).