Washington state crab fishing regulations

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has managed seasonal changes to crab fishing regulations in various coastal and Puget Sound marine areas.

In mid-September, the WDFW issued reminders regarding legal gear usage following the closure of crab pot seasons in Willapa Bay and several south coast areas. Authorities noted that while ring nets and certain traps are permitted, hoop nets—referred to as “dome pots or conical nets”—are prohibited to prevent mortality among molting crabs.

By late September, the WDFW announced the reopening of several Puget Sound marine areas for recreational crab fishing, effective from October 1 through December 31. These reopened locations include Marine Areas 4, 5, 6, 7, 9, and portions of Marine Area 12. However, other regions remain closed due to specific concerns: Marine Areas 10 and 11 are closed due to limited catch quotas, Marine Areas 8-1 and 8-2 are closed due to softshell crab concerns, and Marine Area 13 and southern parts of Marine Area 12 remain closed due to poor abundance.