SEPTEMBER 11, 2023:
Region 1:
ALL REGION 1 CATCH AREAS ARE CURRENTLY CLOSED
Region 2:
ALL REGION 2 CATCH AREAS ARE CURRENTLY CLOSED
Region 3:
Region 3 (sub-area 3-1) West Beach, catch areas 23A and 23B opend at 12:00 noon on Friday. August 25th, 2023 and has been extended even further and will now close at 6:00pm on Friday, September 15, 2023. A gear restriction of 30 pots per vessel remains in place. White buoy tags are required for this fishery and are available by contacting Fisheries Enforcement.
**Permits are required for all fisheries and can be obtained by contacting the Fisheries Office at 360-391-2494.
AS A REMINDER:
*If you see any suspicious or illegal activity during a crab fishery, please contact Swinomish Enforcement at 360-466-2501 so they can investigate.
*The use of mink as bait is only permissible when deployed in a bait jar (for example, a Scotty brand jar), or in a secure mesh bag that is then placed inside the bait basket, such that crab cannot access and cosume the mink. It is prohibited to have uncontained mink in a bait basket or any other container where it can be consumed by crab. If this restriction cannot be followed the use of mink as bait will be outloawed.
PLEASE NOTE: As usual, all gear must be removed from the water before closing time. There are two narrow exceptions; (1) winds above 20 knots if it would be unsafe to carry pots, in which case pots can stay in the water in non-fishing condition until it is safe to carrry them; or (2) mechanical breakdown. If you break down, you need to let Fish & Game Enforcement know right away.
CATCH ACCOUNTING: All harvest must be recorded with the Swinomish Fisheries Department within 48 hours.