Commercial Rock Crab Fishery Opens from California/Oregon Border to Humboldt Bay
Following a recommendation from state health agencies, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) announced the reopening of the commercial rock crab fishery in northern California from the California/Oregon state line (42° 00.00’ N. Lat.) to the Humboldt Bay entrance at the north jetty (40° 46.15’ N. Lat.). This area has remained closed for nearly a decade following a domoic acid outbreak and lack of sampling effort in subsequent years.
The northern rock crab commercial fishery (California/Oregon state line to Ventura/Santa Barbara county line) was originally closed via emergency rulemakings in 2015. This closure was a precautionary measure to ensure public safety during the largest recorded outbreak of domoic acid along the west coast. In November 2016, the closure was continued through emergency action until CDFW Director declarations were initiated pursuant to Fish and Game Code Section 5523 (effective after January 1, 2017). Although the domoic acid event eventually dissipated, the fishery could not reopen until testing confirmed domoic acid levels in rock crab were below federal action levels.
Over the course of several years, rock crab samples from central and northern California were submitted by commercial fishermen to reopen portions of the fishery. The last reopening occurred in May 2019 in the area between Cape Mendocino, Humboldt County (40° 30.00’ N. Lat.) to the north jetty of the Humboldt Bay entrance (40° 46.15’ N. Lat.). Recent testing from rock crab samples taken in the northern area show that commercial rock crab fishing may safely resume in this area. The commercial rock crab fishery remains closed in one remaining area from the Mendocino/Humboldt county line (40° 00.00’ N. Lat.) to Cape Mendocino, Humboldt County (40° 30.00’ N. Lat.).
Historically, the northern fishery has had very little commercial fishing effort for rock crab. In the five years prior to the 2015 closure, landings totaled 365 pounds with a value of roughly $1,000. Renewed interest in fishing for rock crab in the area led to the collection of samples to reopen the fishery.
With this reopening, CDFW reminds all fishery participants to avoid setting gear when whales are present to minimize entanglement risk and to implement best fishing practices, including minimizing excess lines floating on the surface, reducing slack surface line, and keeping vertical lines taught.
The latest information on current fishing season closures related to domoic acid will be updated on CDFW’s fishery closure information and health advisories website or by calling CDFW’s Domoic Acid Fishery Closure Information Line at (831) 649-2883.
The latest domoic acid test results for crab are posted on the California Department of Public Health’s (CDPH) Domoic Acid website (subsection Analytical Data – Crabs).
For the latest consumption warnings, please check for any rock crab health advisory information on the CDPH's shellfish advisories page or by calling CDPH’s Biotoxin information Line at (510) 412-4643 or toll-free at (800) 553-4133.
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