The presence of humpback whales off the coast of the U.S. state of California has triggered a delay of the state’s commercial Dungeness crab season for the sixth consecutive year.
Commercial harvesting in fishing zones 3, 4, 5, and 6 – which cover the area from the state’s Mexican border north to Gualala, California – was slated to start 15 November, but the fishery will remain closed after state officials detected the presence of a large number of humpback whales in the area. California law requires state regulators to implement protective measures when there is a high risk of humpback whale entanglement.
“On 19 October 2024, aerial surveys undertaken by NOAA researchers observed 108 humpback whales in Fishing Zone 3,” California Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Charlton Bonham said in a notice. “Cascadia Research surveyors observed 99 humpbacks whales in Fishing Zone 3 and 73 humpbacks whales in Fishing Zone 4 during vessel surveys conducted on 11 and 16 October 2024.”
The state will reevaluate the risk of whale entanglements in mid-November with the possibility of opening the commercial fishery 1 December. Until then, a fleet advisory is in place.
Season delays and early closures have been a fixture of the California commercial Dungeness crab season over the last seven years. The 2024 season was delayed from November 2023 to January 2024. It then closed zones 3 to 6 early in April 2024 due to the presence of humpback whales.
According to ocean conservation NGO Oceana, California has seen a high number of humpback whale entanglements in the last year. Between May and 21 October, there have been four confirmed humpback whale entanglements in commercial Dungeness crab gear and 10 humpback whale entanglements in gear of unknown origin.
“The alarming number of whales entangled in California fishing gear is evidence that we need stronger, pre-emptive actions to provide whales with safe passage off our shores,” Oceana Campaign Manager Caitlynn Birch said. “It’s heartbreaking that right now, there are multiple whales entangled in Monterey Bay. Not only is the fate of these whales uncertain, but there could very well be other whales suffering a similar fate."
California conducted a trial with alternative gear types, including so-called pop-up and ropeless gear, with 19 vessels participating in the 2024 spring season.
The gear being tested is intended to reduce the risk of whale entanglements caused by the vertical lines used in traditional Dungeness crabbing. Together, participating vessels landed about 229,470 pounds of Dungeness crab, with an average catch of about 12,077 pounds. Similar gear has been tested in other fisheries with risks of whale entanglements, but it has yet to be widely adopted by commercial fishers, who have expressed reservations with the new equipment.
“It’s true that many people are working hard to reduce whale entanglements – including by implementing time and area closures, gear reductions, and shortened fishing seasons. But, it is also true that there are still too many whales dying entangled in commercial fishing gear and the current management system is not enough,” Birch said. “While the Department of Fish and Wildlife is developing a new regulatory package for the crab fishery, some elements pertaining to whale entanglement risk are being weakened, and proper gear marking, electronic vessel tracking, and pop-up fishing gear authorization are all being delayed. We need to do more to strengthen conservation measures and expedite actions that protect whales and the future of California’s crab fishery.”
