Recreational crab fishing to return in Seattle, Bremerton

OLYMPIA, Wash. — The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife says it will reopen recreational crab fishing in the Seattle-Bremerton area for the month of December.

Marine Area 10 has been closed since the summer crab fishing season ended in early September.

Unlike on Washington's coast, marine toxins have not been an issue in Puget Sound crab.

Recreational crabbing in the Seattle-Bremerton area will begin at 8 a.m. on Tuesday and will be open seven days a week. All other marine areas of the Puget Sound are already open to recreational crab fishing and will remain open to daily fishing through the end of December.

The daily catch limit in Puget Sound is five Dungeness crab, males only, in hard-shell condition with a minimum carapace width of 6¼ inches. In addition, people may catch six red rock crab of either sex per day, provided those crab measure at least 5 inches across.