Crabbers face tardy fee in 2009

DOUG HUDDLE

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Starting in 2009, recreational crab fishers who fail to report their catches in a timely fashion face a monetary penalty when they seek a subsequent Puget Sound Dungeness crab catch record card.

The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission at its Sept. 5-6 meeting in Olympia imposed a $10 civil fine on delinquent sport fishers who don't comply with the summer and fall/winter reporting requirements.

While 200,000 Puget Sound catch record cards are issued annually, state shellfish managers say that less than one-third of those crabbers make their twice annual obligatory report or submission of their cards.

Such sparse compliance makes it difficult for managers to track and estimate the non-treaty sport harvest in a timely fashion to insure that it stays within Dungeness allocation guidelines set up for each Puget Sound management zone.

The 2008 season summer catch reporting period is currently underway and ends Tuesday, Sept. 15.

Persons who are still sport crabbing in marine areas 4, 5, 7E, 7N and 13 must record their Dungeness crab catches on their fall/winter card and report later.

Only Dungeness crab caught before Sept. 2 must be reported before the Tuesday deadline.

Recreational catch card holders can mail them to the department at the address indicated on the card or file an electronic report via the Internet at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov/wdfw/puget_sound_crab_catch.html.

RAZOR CLAM PROSPECTS DISCUSSED

The potential for razor clam digs on the Washington coast this fall and winter will be discussed at five public meetings held by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife starting Tuesday, Sept. 15.

State shellfish managers will present results of summer razor clam surveys in the five beach management zones stretching from Ilwaco to Kalaloch and invite public suggestions on how to organize a series of dig openings over the next six to eight months.

WDFW Coastal Shellfish Manager Dan Ayres said that this summer's assessment found an increase in the numbers of harvestable clams in four of the five management sectors suggesting that dig opportunities could expand this season.

Off-setting this favorable abundance could be upswings in marine toxin levels along the coast or a recurrence of a deadly parasite that killed many razor clams about a decade ago. As of now, neither of these concerns is a problem.

Ayres said the department is anticipating being able to offer more harvest days than were allowed in 2007-08.

The closest meeting to Bellingham is set for Friday, Sept. 26, in Fife at the high school administration building.

Persons wishing to comment by snail mail or the Internet may do so until Sunday, Oct. 5. Send mailings in care of Dan Ayres, WDFW, 600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091 or e-mails to Dan Ayres at fishpgm@dfw.wa.gov.