State Weighs Higher Penalty for Missing Crab Catch Reports

Bainbridge residents who catch Dungeness crab in Puget Sound could face a higher penalty for failing to report their catch under a rule change being considered by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. The department says more complete reporting would improve its estimates of recreational harvest.

Under the existing rules, Puget Sound Dungeness crab cardholders must report even if they caught nothing or did not go crabbing. The current non-reporting penalty is $10, set in 2007, and is assessed with the following year’s license purchase. The state’s rule-making notice seeks an increase, but the materials released so far specify neither a new amount nor an effective date. No increase has been adopted through this process.

Paper and electronic catch record cards are the state’s primary tools for assessing recreational Dungeness crab harvest. In its November 4 announcement, WDFW said 43% of summer cardholders reported their catch in 2024 and 2025.

Missing reports leave managers needing to determine whether a crabber caught nothing or simply failed to report. WDFW says follow-up work adds time and cost, and incomplete information could unnecessarily shorten recreational seasons. The department also says reporting gaps complicate its work to divide harvest equally with tribal co-managers.

WDFW will hold a virtual public meeting November 18 from 5 to 6:30 p.m. Participants must register for the Zoom meeting in advance. Comments can also be submitted through the state’s public-comment page.

The process is at the preproposal stage: the agency is gathering input before developing specific rule language. Its timeline lists both the close of this comment period and the filing of a formal proposal as still to be determined.

For the 2026 winter season, catch reports are due February 1, 2027. Online reporting opens January 1.