In school we all learn how to "follow the rules," but somewhere along the line it appears that others have put that life lesson on the side burner or simply forgotten.

As we head into the height of the Puget Sound Dungeness crab fishing season, it might be wise for anglers to take a refresher course on some issues brought up by state Fish and Wildlife's enforcement division.

"I want people to make sure they're following the rules of crabbing, and enjoying what a great resource this fishery has to offer," said Sergeant Erik Olson with state Fish and Wildlife. "The day started off with very good compliance, but got worse as the day went on."

On the opening day of crabbing last Sunday, state Fish and Wildlife had seven patrol vessels with at least 14 officers from the north side of Whidbey Island into the Strait of Juan de Fuca and south to Olympia. There were also several county marine divisions monitoring the fishery.

Olson said they issued an estimated 35 tickets throughout Puget Sound and gave plenty of warnings.

"During the summer crab fishery we plan to have a lot of enforcement out on the water," Olson said.

One of the biggest violations enforcement officers come across is crabbers not recording crab catches on their "Catch Record Card."

"The law says the crab caught must be recorded immediately, and don't carry one pen, but two or three in case the ink runs out," said Sergeant Rich Phillips with state Fish and Wildlife enforcement. "It's all the same stuff that we encounter, and folks just need to be reminded before heading out on the water."

Another is how anglers measure their Dungeness crab, which must be at least 6 ¼ inches at the widest point of the shell just in front of the rearmost point or tips.

"Always measure the crabs right away, and don't estimate their size or use a dollar bill or ruler to see if they're of legal length," Phillips said.

The most accurate way to measure a crab is by using a plastic caliper crab gauge, which are available at most sporting goods stores.

Enforcement has frequently come across people pulling another person's crab pot, which is a criminal offense.

"We have a zero tolerance for this, and if you saw a guy pulling up your crab pot wouldn't you be upset?" Olson said.

Olson said those who actually steal the crab from the pot may also be charged with theft.

A rule often overlooked by crabbers is the mandatory use of a biodegradable rot cord to secure the lid and escape hatches on the pots.

The rot cord must be untreated 100 percent cotton or other natural fiber no larger than thread size 120. This cord must be able to rot away, and allow crab to escape freely.

A derelict crab pot without a proper escape cord can attract and kill crabs for years after it has been lost at sea.

"For some reason we come across a lot of people on the water using plastic zip cord ties in place of the rot cord, which is unacceptable and a gear violation criminal offense," Olson said.

Improperly marked crab pots is a violation commonly found by enforcement.

"The law says each buoy on the crab pot must have the person's name and address, and we don't accept nicknames," Olson said. "Phone numbers are optional."

Enforcement said the more information they have on a lost buoy, the easier it is for them to track a person when a pot is found.

Other violations and warnings during the opener included possession of female Dungeness crabs, keeping soft-shelled crabs, over limits, boating safety violations, and no fishing license or Puget Sound Crab Endorsement.

In Puget Sound and in the Strait of Juan de Fuca east of Sekiu, crab fishing is open through Sept. 3. Fishing is allowed Thursday to Mondays only.

The San Juan Islands southern section opens July 15 to Sept. 30, and the northern part opens Aug. 16 to Sept. 30. Fishing is allowed Thursdays to Mondays only.

For more information on crab fishing, go to http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/shellfish/crab/.

Mark Yuasa: 206-464-8780 or myuasa@seattletimes.com