Thursday, 28 March 2024

CDFW director delays commercial Dungeness crab season south of Sonoma/Mendocino County line

California Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Charlton H. Bonham has issued a declaration delaying the Nov. 22, 2019, start date for the California Dungeness crab fishery south of the Sonoma/Mendocino county line.

Under the authority of Section 8276.1(c)(1) of the Fish and Game Code, the Director may restrict take of commercial Dungeness crab after making a preliminary determination that there is a significant risk of marine life entanglement due to fishing gear.

The opening of the commercial Dungeness crab fishery in this area will be delayed until Dec. 15, 2019. Pursuant to Fish and Game Code, section 8283, traps may be set and baited 18 hours in advance of the opening date.

A pre-soak period can commence at 6 a.m. on Dec. 14, 2019.

Before taking this action, the director considered all recommendations and information provided within the public notice period that ended at 4:45 p.m. on Nov. 22.

No vessel may take, possess or land crab in an area closed for a significant entanglement risk. Fishing gear may not be deployed in any area closed to fishing.

CDFW would like to acknowledge the commitment by the commercial fishing fleet and various stakeholders to help inform management of this important commercial fishery.

CDFW understands the crab fishery's value to coastal communities and is committed to ensuring a robust fishery while taking appropriate steps to minimize marine life entanglements to the extent practicable.

CDFW is committed to continuing to evaluate information as it is available in real-time to ensure that restrictions on the fishery are lifted as expeditiously as possible.

CDFW will convene a meeting of the Dungeness Crab Fishing Gear Working Group in early December to evaluate risk factors and determine if the fishery can be opened prior to Dec. 15.

Throughout the course of the crab season, CDFW will engage regularly with the Working Group to review scientific information and advise efforts to minimize the risk of whale and sea turtle entanglements while maximizing fishing opportunity.

Based on that process, CDFW may take additional management actions in response to future risk assessments.

For more information related to the risk assessment process or this delay, please visit CDFW's Whale Safe Fisheries webpage.

For more information on Dungeness crab, please visit www.wildlife.ca.gov/crab.

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