Tribe examines crab conditions before fishing - Northwest Treaty Tribes

Tribe examines crab conditions before fishing - Northwest Treaty Tribes

Fisheries staff from Quinault Indian Nation’s Division of Natural Resources conducted a Dungeness crab test fishery in October, a crucial step for determining whether the tribe’s commercial crab fishery is ready to open. Every year, tribal fisheries staff set out crab pots, then pull them up after a 48-hour soak. Fisheries staff inspect the crab’s shells to see if they’re soft or hard. A soft shell means the crab has not yet grown a protective s…