The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has announced that the commercial Dungeness crab fishery will open on Jan. 5 along most of California’s coast.
For Fishing Zones 3, 4, 5, and 6, which cover the areas from the Sonoma–Mendocino county line to the U.S.–Mexico border, the fishery will open under a 50 percent trap reduction in order to reduce the number of humpback whales getting caught in fishing lines.
The opening dates for Fishing Zones 1 and 2, which extend from the California-Oregon border to the Sonoma/Mendocino county line, will be further delayed due to the inability to conduct industry-sponsored meat quality testing, according to the CDFW.
When these two zones open for fishing on Jan. 15, there will be a 25 percent trap reduction in place.
In recent years, the start of the crab season has been delayed due to the increase in whales and sea turtles becoming entangled in fishing gear. It has required a collaborative effort between fishermen, environmental groups, scientists, and agency partners. Through CDFW and the California Ocean Protection Council, the state has allocated over $6 million to address these risks by purchasing electronic monitoring units, creating new tools for risk evaluation, and expanding alternative testing gear.
“This year’s fishery opener builds off over five years of efforts that entailed close to 150 meetings of the Dungeness Crab Fishing Gear Working Group, more than 50 risk assessments, and aerial surveys covering more than 20,000 miles of California’s coast,” stated the department.
Additionally, starting Jan. 2, 2025, CDFW will lift the temporary recreational crab trap restriction from the Sonoma–Mendocino county line to Monterey County in Northern California.
Traditionally, Dungeness crabs are a popular holiday delicacy. Despite the shortened season, crab fishing remains a profitable industry in the state, generating nearly $45 million annually.
