Derelict Shellfish Gear: 2023 Report to the Legislature

Abandoned, lost, or discarded crab fishing pots in the waters of Puget Sound pose a threat to sea life and can degrade marine habitats. These lost crab pots, estimated at 12,000 a year, can continue to catch and kill crab and other marine life, depleting key resources important to the ecosystem of Puget Sound and the region’s economy.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), tribal co-managers, and other organizations are working to help remove this derelict shellfish gear from Puget Sound. A portion of the funds WDFW received from the sale of Puget Sound Dungeness Crab Endorsements, a supplemental catch accounting license necessary to recreationally fish for crab in the Sound, go directly to this effort.

This work continues to improve the marine environment and helps to ensure crab populations remain sustainable; providing commercial, tribal, and recreational fishing opportunities that are economically important to the Puget Sound region.

To fulfill requirements of RCW 77.32.430, dedicated derelict shellfish gear recovery funds expended in 2023: $284,967.