Female/Male Dungeness Crab

I have been reading and re-reading the regs considering the take of female crabs. I only found a little section where it tells you how to identify a male from a female. I have come away after reading the Cancer section of the regulations that we can take either sex as long as it is 5 3/4". I am doubting this however, because I just watched a video where the guy chucked out all of the female crabs he caught? Is this an old rule, or am I just missing the section in the regulations where this is discussed?  Any help would be appreciated!


Thanks,

Dan

Recreationally, we can keep females. Personally I don't. I bet most of us toss the females back.

Yep, it's a strong tradition with sport crabbers - at least around here with all the folks I've ever been around in the sport - to release all females even though they're legal to keep for sport.  They're usually more scrawny-legged, and they're also often laden with eggs.

Thanks guys, makes sense appreciate the responses.

I'm with Eric. Throw back the scrawny legged females. Crab or otherwise. Life is short.

I'm with Eric. Throw back the scrawny legged females. Crab or otherwise. Life is short.

I'm forwarding this to your wife, not that she's scrawny or crabby...

I'm with Eric. Throw back the scrawny legged females. Crab or otherwise. Life is short.

I'm forwarding this to your wife, not that she's scrawny or crabby...

Scrawny...no    Crabby....well...don't let her see this.

Yup. Females go back in the drink. They just don't have much in the way of quality meat.