Saving Seafood

CALIFORNIA: Delays, decisions, and impacts on Calif. Dungeness season

November 21, 2024 — For California’s Dungeness crab fleet, waiting has become a routine part of the season. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) will decide on November 21 whether the commercial season can begin on December 1 or be postponed again to reduce risks of whale entanglement. According to Lookout Santa Cruz news, This precaution has been in place for the past six years due to increased numbers of humpback whales migrating along the coast during crab season.

In October, CDFW already delayed the traditional mid-November opening after initial assessments showed a high presence of humpbacks. The whales, which are protected under federal law, are at risk of becoming entangled in crab fishing gear, leading to stringent regulations. A second assessment will determine whether risks have diminished enough for the season to begin. If deemed too risky, another evaluation will occur between December 20 and 22 to consider a late-December start.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

CALIFORNIA: California crabbers have a whale of a problem: Season’s start delayed again

November 1, 2024 — California Dungeness crab, a staple of holiday celebrations for many West Coast families, won’t be widely available before early December and possibly not until next year – again.

For the sixth year in a row, the state’s Department of Fish and Wildlife has delayed the start of the commercial crab fishing season through most of the state’s coast to protect endangered humpback whales from getting entangled in vertical fishing lines, which can result in injuries and death.

Dungeness crabs, larger, meatier and more abundant in California than other species, are treasured by locals as well as tourists, who frequently consume them at San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf. The crustaceans are mostly found in the central and northern parts of the state.

Read the full article at USA TODAY

CALIFORNIA: Ropeless gear trial divides California crab fishery

September 24, 2024 — A recent trial of innovative ropeless crab fishing gear off the California coast has sparked a heated debate within the Dungeness crab fishing community. While some accept the technology as a breakthrough in reducing whale entanglements, others view it as another complication in an already struggling industry.

Many commercial crabbers remain angry about the trial because it allowed a minimal number of fishermen to fish during the end of the Dungeness breeding season when crabs would typically be biting. This trial, the most extensive testing of pop-up fishing gear to date off the coast of California, allowed select participants to fish during restricted times from April 9 to June 30.

Fishermen who have faced years of economic setbacks from shortened crab seasons and the closure of the king salmon fishery are wary of embracing new gear. Concerns about conversion costs, reliability, and the risk of unintended consequences have created significant pushback among many crabbers.

Read the full article at National Fisherman 

CALIFORNIA: California closing Dungeness crab season to protect humpback whales

April 3, 2024 — The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is closing most of the U.S. state’s commercial Dungeness crab fishery on Monday, 8 April.

California’s zones 3, 4, 5, and 6, stretching from the Sonoma-Mendocino county line to the U.S.-Mexico border, will be closed at 6 p.m. on 8 April due to the presence of humpback whales in the area, with a 30-fathom depth constraint on traps going into effect in zones 1 and 2, which encompasses the rest of the state’s coastline north to the Oregon border.

Read the full article at SeafoodSource

CALIFORNIA: California’s commercial Dungeness crab season will end April 8 to protect whales

April 1, 2024 — The commercial Dungeness crab season in California will be curtailed to protect humpback whales from becoming entangled in trap and buoy lines, officials announced Thursday.

The state Department of Fish and Wildlife said commercial crabbing will end April 8 for waters between the Mendocino-Sonoma county line and the border with Mexico.

The recreational take of Dungeness crab using traps in those areas will also be prohibited. Recreational crabbers will be able to use other methods, including hoop nets and crab snares.

North of the Mendocino-Sonoma county line to the Oregon border, commercial crabbing will only be permitted to a depth of 180 feet (55 meters), officials said.

Read the full article at the Associated Press 

CALIFRONIA: Dungeness crab fishing season to end early for most of California

March 30, 2024 — The California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced on Thursday that they will close Dungeness crab fishing early for commercial and recreational fishers, per a news release provided by OCEANA.

Fisheries using vertical line gear off the central and southern coasts from south of the Sonoma/Mendocino County line will have to close up shop. There will also be a depth restriction to prohibit fishing in waters deeper than 180 feet for northern California, per OCEANA.

These changes will come into effect starting April 8.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife found earlier this month that not enough is being done to protect humpback whales after completing an assessment.

Read the full article at KSBW

CALIFORNIA: Bay Area’s commercial Dungeness crab season can start officially Jan. 18 — with caveats

January 13, 2024 — The Bay Area’s commercial Dungeness crab season can begin Jan. 18, state officials announced Thursday, now that many of the migrating behemoths of the sea have safely made their way down the coast.

The decision comes after a series of delays since November meant to protect whales from getting tangled in fishing lines, and it comes with a key restriction: Fleets will have to operate under a 50 percent trap reduction.

“This management decision is a balanced approach that achieves two outcomes,” the California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced. “First, this trap reduction will help reduce entanglement risk for humpback whales by reducing the amount of gear and vertical lines in the water. Second, the decision gets the commercial fishery open statewide.”

For commercial crabbers, it’s a late but welcome start to a season that may end early. They will be allowed to drop crab pots on Jan. 15 but not pull them up until Jan. 18. If last season is any indication, they may get three months out of what would normally be a five-month season.

Read the full article at the Mercury News

CALIFORNIA: Select Dungeness fishermen in California get green light to resume catch

January 7, 2024 — The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (DFWD) announced that the Dungeness crab season will open on Jan. 5 in zones 1 and 2, the Sonoma County line to the Oregon border. A 64-hour pre-soak period began on January 2 at 8:01 a.m. The delay south of Sonoma and Mendocino, zones 3-6, will continue to be restricted.

The commercial fishing season further south will remain delayed due to the concentration of whales observed along the coast, including a group of 58 whales feeding near the surface in fishing zones around San Francisco Bay.

According to the Risk Assessment and Mitigation Program (RAMP), the multiple delays in the Dungeness season opening were attributed to humpback whale entanglements and the high number of whale sightings. 16 separate humpback and gray whale entanglements have been reported in California, with four entanglements associated with commercial crabbing nets.

Read the full article at the National Fisherman

CALIFORNIA: Dungeness Crab Season Delayed Again, SF Crabbers Miss Holiday Haul

December 19, 2023 — For decades, fishers have earned a living selling Dungeness crab out of San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf. But many, like Shawn Chen Flading, have struggled over the last five years as the state has consecutively delayed the commercial season.

“Every delay is difficult. Right now, I have zero income as a fisherman,” Flading said. He told KQED that he’s been working side jobs to financially stay afloat.

The season, which has historically started on Nov. 15, is delayed until at least New Year’s Day to protect migrating humpback whales. Crabbers like Flading hope to catch the tail end of the holidays to recoup what they’ve lost.

This is also primetime for crab sales as many San Franciscans prepare festive meals that feature the crustacean as opposed to turkey or ham.

“It’s something people like to splurge on to create a feast,” Flading said. “But with the delay, we’ve lost all the holiday markets.

Read the full article at KQED

CALIFORNIA: California commercial Dungeness crab fishing season delayed

November 8, 2o23 — The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) announced a delay in the season opener for California commercial Dungeness crab fishing off the Central and Southern Coast to protect whales from entanglement.

The decision is based on a combination of excessive humpback whale entanglements in California Dungeness crab gear over the last three years and high numbers of recent humpback whale sightings off the central coast according to CDFW’s Risk Assessment and Mitigation Program criteria.

The recreational Dungeness crab fishery will open statewide on November 4; however, recreational crab traps will not be allowed for the Central Coast (Fishing Zones 3 and 4) due to the high abundance of whales.

Read the full article at the Triplicate