California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Director Charlton H. Bonham has assessed entanglement risk under the Risk Assessment Mitigation Program (RAMP) and announced changes to both commercial and recreational Dungeness crab fisheries. These changes, which will go into effect at 6 p.m. on April 15, 2025, are intended to provide continued fishing opportunities while minimizing entanglement risk as humpback whales return to forage off the coast of California. 

The commercial fishery will remain open in Fishing Zones 1, 2, and 3 (California/Oregon state line to Pigeon Point, 37°11' N. latitude, San Mateo County) under existing trap reductions. A 30-fathom Depth Constraint will also be implemented, prohibiting the use of traps in the commercial fishery in waters seaward of the 30-fathom depth contour as defined by specific waypoints in Title 50 of the Federal Codes of Regulations, Part 660, Section 660.71.  

The commercial fishery will close in Fishing Zones 4, 5 and 6 (Pigeon Point, 37°11' N. latitude, San Mateo County, to the U.S./Mexico border), at which time the commercial take and possession of Dungeness crab from those waters is prohibited.  

A recreational crab trap restriction will be implemented in Fishing Zone 4 (Pigeon Point to Lopez Point, 36°00' N Latitude, Monterey County). CDFW reminds recreational crabbers that take of Dungeness crab by other methods (including hoop nets and crab snares) is allowed through the close of the season. 

All open Fishing Zones remain under a Fleet Advisory for both the commercial and recreational Dungeness crab fisheries. CDFW reminds all fishery participants to implement best practices, as described in the Best Practices Guide. Based on historical migration data, CDFW anticipates an increase in whale abundance in the upcoming weeks. Individuals should remain vigilant and be prepared to remove gear quickly, to minimize entanglement risk, in the event whales arrive sooner than expected.  

Commercial Dungeness crab vessels are authorized to retrieve an unlimited number of commercial Dungeness crab traps which are lost, damaged, abandoned or otherwise derelict in Fishing Zones 4 through 6 starting at 6 a.m. on April 22, 2025. CDFW requests that individuals regularly report retrieved gear to WhaleSafeFisheries@wildlife.ca.gov. Any vessel operating or transiting in an open Fishing Zone may not possess more than six traps belonging to another vessel, pursuant to Title 14, California Code of Regulations, Section 132.2(a)(2)(A). In addition, CDFW has authorized the Lost and Abandoned Gear Retrieval Program to begin removing commercial Dungeness crab traps left in the water beginning April 22, 2025, at 6 a.m. in Fishing Zones 4, 5 and 6.   

CDFW anticipates the next risk assessment will take place in mid-April 2025. For more information related to the risk assessment process or trap gear retrieval, please visit CDFW’s Whale Safe Fisheries page. For more information on the Dungeness crab fishery, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/crab. 

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