Crab taken in offshore waters — Criteria for landing in Washington state — Limitations.
RCW 77.70.290
in effect(1) The director shall allow the landing into Washington state of crab taken in offshore waters only if: (a) The crab are legally caught and landed by fishers with a valid Washington state Dungeness crab-coastal fishery license; or (b)(i) The director determines that the landing of offshore Dungeness crab by fishers without a Washington state Dungeness crab-coastal fishery license is in the best interest of the coastal crab processing industry; (ii) the director has been requested to allow such landings by at least three Dungeness crab processors; (iii) the landings are permitted only between the dates of December 1st to February 15th inclusively; (iv) only crab fishers commercially licensed to fish by Oregon or California are permitted to land, if the crab was taken with gear that consisted of one buoy attached to each crab pot, and each crab pot was fished individually; (v) the fisher landing the crab has obtained a valid delivery license; and (vi) the decision is made on a case-by-case basis for the sole reason of improving the economic stability of the commercial crab fishery. (2) Nothing in this section allows the commercial fishing of Dungeness crab in waters within three miles of Washington state by fishers who do not possess a valid Dungeness crab-coastal fishery license. Landings of offshore Dungeness crab by fishers without a valid Dungeness crab-coastal fishery license do not qualify the fisher for such licenses.
(1) The director shall allow the landing into Washington state of crab taken in offshore waters only if:
(a) The crab are legally caught and landed by fishers with a valid Washington state Dungeness crab-coastal fishery license; or
(b)(i) The director determines that the landing of offshore Dungeness crab by fishers without a Washington state Dungeness crab-coastal fishery license is in the best interest of the coastal crab processing industry; (ii) the director has been requested to allow such landings by at least three Dungeness crab processors; (iii) the landings are permitted only between the dates of December 1st to February 15th inclusively; (iv) only crab fishers commercially licensed to fish by Oregon or California are permitted to land, if the crab was taken with gear that consisted of one buoy attached to each crab pot, and each crab pot was fished individually; (v) the fisher landing the crab has obtained a valid delivery license; and (vi) the decision is made on a case-by-case basis for the sole reason of improving the economic stability of the commercial crab fishery.
(2) Nothing in this section allows the commercial fishing of Dungeness crab in waters within three miles of Washington state by fishers who do not possess a valid Dungeness crab-coastal fishery license. Landings of offshore Dungeness crab by fishers without a valid Dungeness crab-coastal fishery license do not qualify the fisher for such licenses.
Source: WA Statutes (Official Site)URL: https://app.leg.wa.gov/RCW/default.aspx?cite=77.70&full=trueFetched: 6/29/2026