A collaborative study between the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and the Suquamish Tribe is underway to track Dungeness crab movements between Seattle and Bremerton.
The study aims to improve management of crab fishing seasons, WDFW said in a release.
During late September, researchers captured, tagged, and released over 550 male Dungeness crabs from Alki Point to Apple Cove Point near Kingston.
The study seeks to understand crab movement patterns to assist in setting annual catch quotas.
“This study will help us determine how crabs move around in central Puget Sound,” said Katelyn Bosley, WDFW crustacean program leader. “This could even provide more insight about crab abundance and assist us in how we manage crab fishing seasons and set annual catch quotas.”
Each tagged crab has an individual identification number and a phone contact.
Crabbers who catch one are encouraged to report it to be added to the WDFW database to better understand crab movements.
For more information on crab management, visit wdfw.wa.gov.