Local Dungeness crab fishing boats will have to go through mandatory dockside examinations before the season opens Dec. 1, according to the Coast Guard.

The Coast Guard will perform the examinations at ports in Washington and Oregon to make sure vessels are complying with safety standards.

Dockside exams had been voluntary in the past, but the Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010 made them mandatory for commercial fishing vessels operating more than 3 miles from shore. Any commercial fishing vessels that operate beyond 3 miles from shore without an exam decal will be issued a warning letter.

Fishers can use the Coast Guard's online checklist to prepare for the exam, at uscg.mil/d13/cfvs.

Reach ZOE FRALEY at zoe.fraley@bellinghamherald.com or call 756-2803.