After multiple delays due to the presence of humpback whales in the area, California has announced that the southern portion of the state will open its commercial Dungeness crab season 5 January 2025.
However, state regulators are enacting a 50 percent trap reduction for the open areas, and the two northernmost fishing zones will remain closed through 15 January.
“Making the decision on when to open the Dungeness crab fishery is never an easy one. It requires careful consideration of the need to protect endangered species while sustaining the livelihood of California’s fishing communities,” California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Director Charlton Bonham said in a statement. “My action today strikes a balance between the needs of the fishery and the needs of California’s marine species. Reducing the number of traps in the water is a successful management measure we have utilized before. Applying this protective and precautionary measure to the Northern Management Area allows the fishery to open as early as possible and will minimize the risk of entanglements statewide.”
Initially set to start in November 2024, state regulators were forced to delay the commercial season multiple times due to the abundance of migratory humpback whales, which can become entangled in the vertical lines used in traditional crabbing gear.
Now, the four southernmost fishing zones will open 5 January, while the two northern zones will open 15 January.
Despite persistent seasonal delays in recent years, California’s Dungeness crab fishery remains one of its most lucrative, bringing in USD 45 million (EUR 43 million) per year on average.
"It is always a good thing when California’s commercial fishing fleet can get to work, delivering healthy, sustainable seafood to our communities,” Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations Executive Director Lisa Damrosch said in a statement. “Delays are difficult, and fisheries management is becoming increasingly complex. Commercial fishing representatives remain committed to being productive partners in finding workable, long-term solutions, and we very much appreciate CDFW’s hard work and commitment to collaborating with the industry to set an opening date that balances harvest opportunities with the need to reduce risks to marine mammals."
According to CDFW, California has invested USD 6 million (EUR 5.8 million) in reducing entanglement risk by outfitting electronic monitoring units, supporting gear marking programs, developing new risk evaluation tools, and expanding alternative gear testing. Earlier this month, the California Fish and Game Commission voted to double the number of fishers who can participate in its 2025 alternative gear trials, testing out pop-up gear provided by Sub Sea Sonics and Guardian Ropeless under an experimental fishing permit.
