Crabbing off Prospect Pt in the shipping lanes

[Peahead]

While I was driving across Lions Gate Bridge yesterday morning at 7:22 I witnessed a commercial crab boat heading east very slowly hauling a line of traps in the shipping channel just off Prospect Pt . The crab boat was just about middle channel in first narrows and only about 300 yards west of the bridge. At the same time a very large tanker was outbound and amazingly close to the commercial cab boat. The tanker had a Seaspan/Cates tug pushing the tanker full boar on port to push the tanker to starboard away from the commercial crab boat. Another tug was on scene as well - looked like an accident waiting to happen and brings up the question ....what the f#*@ is a crabber doing hauling/dropping traps in a shipping lane and that close to Lions Gate Bridge. I see them in that area all the time but usually they don't come that far into the channel and that close to the bridge...

 

[seadog19]

u wanna see them in the lanes from the border at point roberts, up to sandheads. They are so thick some times, it is impossible to miss the numerous bouys. They are banned from inside delta port, yet I have seen them setting ghost gear right alongside container ships.

I frequently encounter gear right up to the bridge, they used to stay in the seperation zone, not any more...I guess crab gear must be cheap, because here and in areas around anacortes to port partridge, can be a minefield, in the lanes. If they don't snag towline, then zinks on bottom of barge git em....

 

[Peahead]

I hear ya ...... but I guess what I was more shocked to see .....or almost see was a very serious collision with a commie and a tanker. Missing crab traps in a commercial shipping lane is one thing but a bad collision, a sunken 40 foot crab boat and a dead crew is another......