Crab Pots
Pots are used to harvest crabs during the crab
season. The season starts in December and lasts into
summer though most crabs are captured in the first
two months of the season. Trawl boats and troll boats
are used to carry pots out to sea.
The pots are baited and set on the ocean floor.
There may be up to 100 pots in a string, and boats
may have several strings in operation at a time. Each
fisherman paints his buoys with a unique color
scheme and attaches one to each pot. This provides
a method of identification out on the ocean. Escape
rings in the pot insure that undersized crabs and
other animals can get out easily. Crabs are kept alive
on board till the boat returns to the shoreside
processor.
Species Caught:
Dungeness Crab
Sablefish (blackcod)
Management
Commercial fishermen wish to ensure the future of the
industry and long-term availability of the product.
Both Federal and State agencies are charged with this
responsibility. They monitor the biological status of
many species and set limits on their capture. Their
objective is to promote conservation of this national
resource and maximize benefits to all U.S. Citizens.
Environment
Commercial fishermen are extremely conscious
of their impact on the resrouce and the impact of
others. Commercial fishermen have played very
active roles in many invironmental causes.
