November 12, 2018 — The opening of the commercial Dungeness crab season has been delayed until at least Dec. 1 in the waters north of Bodega Head State Marine Reserve to the Sonoma/Mendocino county line because of elevated levels of domoic acid, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced today.
The commercial fishery south of this area will open as scheduled Thursday, however.
February 18, 2016 — SANTA ROSA, California — The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) invites the public to attend its upcoming annual Ocean Salmon Information Meeting. A review of last year’s ocean salmon fisheries and spawning escapement will be presented, in addition to the outlook for this year’s sport and commercial ocean salmon fisheries.
The meeting will be held Wednesday, March 2 from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Sonoma County Water Agency, 404 Aviation Blvd. in Santa Rosa (95403).
Anglers are encouraged to provide input on potential fishing seasons to a panel of California salmon scientists, managers and representatives who will be directly involved in the upcoming Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) meetings in March and April.
February 17, 2016 — SAN FRANCISCO — Commercial crab fisheries will now remain closed until state officials lift the health advisory along the entire California coastline.
That decision was made on Wednesday. CDFW officials may open crab fisheries south of the border between Mendocino and Sonoma counties once the state Department of Public Health clears all of the crabs along that stretch of the coast for human consumption.
The commercial crab season has taken a huge financial hit, stalled since public health officials determined the crabs had high levels of domoic acid which is a neurotoxin.
The determination followed the strong recommendation by members of the Dungeness Crab Task Force, who urged state officials on Tuesday to keep the season closed until the health advisory was lifted coast-wide, or at a minimum, for an area south of Point Arena.
The commercial crab season has been stalled since public health officials determined the crabs had high levels of domoic acid, a neurotoxin.
But on Thursday, the CDFW said it would allow recreational crab fishing south of Point Reyes after health officials cleared the crabs for human consumption.