February 5, 2025 — The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife issued an advisory to the state’s commercial Dungeness crab fleet, urging caution due to the risk of whale entanglements. The advisory follows a recent incident on January 6, when a humpback whale was reported entangled in crab gear, and comes after a record high of four whale entanglements in Oregon crab gear in 2024.
The department’s guidance, which is voluntary, advises the fleet to “remain vigilant and avoid setting gear in areas where whales are transiting or foraging to minimize risk of entanglement.” However, critics argue that these measures are insufficient.
Ben Enticknap, Oceana campaign director and senior scientist, said, “Advice to remain vigilant and keep tight lines is woefully insufficient to protect threatened and endangered whales from becoming fatally entangled in the Oregon commercial crab fishery.”
Enticknap emphasized the need for a more robust conservation plan, stating, “Oregon fish and wildlife managers must act swiftly and decisively to implement a conservation plan that reduces whale entanglements, not one that maintains the status quo.”