Linda Zavoral, Bay Area News Group
California's long-awaited Dungeness crab season will get under way early in the new year.
Commercial crab fishers from the Mendocino County line to the Mexican border can drop their gear on Jan. 2, 2025, and start pulling up the first crab pots on Sunday, Jan. 5, the Department of Fish and Wildlife announced Friday afternoon.
The decision comes after a series of delays since November meant to protect whales from getting tangled in fishing lines abandoned in previous seasons, and it comes with a key restriction: Fleets will have to operate under a 50 percent trap reduction.
In far northern California (Del Norte, Humboldt, Mendocino counties), the season will not be allowed to start until Jan. 15 because of crab meat quality issues.
The director of the CDFW, Charlton H. Bonham, who makes decisions in consultation with representatives of the fishing industry, environmental organizations and scientists, explained the thinking:
People are also reading... Napa teacher placed on leave again following 2022 Dixon incident Update: No danger found after hazmat report near Napa High School, authorities say Battle drags on over day care center planned for Napa's Alta Heights area Fire damages Calistoga barbecue; no injuries reported Napa County responds to Trump immigrant policies Rory's Bakehouse opens retail window on Old Sonoma Road in Napa CIF State 5-A Football Championship: American Canyon runs past Palmdale 68-47 for title St. Helena's Flora Springs acquired by Gina and Jean-Charles Boisset Top 10 stories of 2024, No. 10: Napa native Brock Bowers makes NFL history as rookie Raiders star Napa County Board of Supervisors says farewell to Gregory, Pedroza Three arrested after robbery at Napa's Ulta Beauty store Jury rules Napa's Ace & Vine card room legally acquired license Man arrested on manslaughter, DUI allegations after fatal Napa County crash Christmas display at Napa house inspired by 1960s magazine Letter: Not our finest hour
"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," he said in a statement. "My action today strikes a balance between the needs of the fishery and the needs of California's marine species."
Scientist Geoff Shester of the Oceana group, one of the consultants to the state, said conservationists do want to see the crab fishery succeed. "While there still are a lot of whales out there, we are all anticipating the numbers will go down" by the first week of January, he said.
For commercial crabbers, it's a late but welcome/ start to the season. If last season is any indication, they may get three or four months out of what would normally be a five-month season.
This is a developing story. Come back for updates.
Be the first to know
Get local news delivered to your inbox!
Sign up! * I understand and agree that registration on or use of this site constitutes agreement to its user agreement and privacy policy.