Recreational Dungeness Crab Fishery to Open in Last Closed Area of Humboldt County After Delay Due to Public Health Risks

Tue, 30 Dec 2025 16:48:43 GMT

The last area of the recreational Dungeness crab fishery in Humboldt County opened today after being delayed due to elevated levels of domoic acid.

State health agencies determined that Dungeness crab in waters from the southern boundary of the Reading Rock Marine Protected Areas (41° 17.6’ N. latitude) to Cape Mendocino (40° 10.0’ N. latitude) can open. While the area is open to fishing, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) issued a health advisory to not eat crab viscera (also known as guts) and to clean crab prior to cooking.

Following the recommendation (PDF) from state health agencies, California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Acting Director Valerie Termini declared (PDF) the recreational Dungeness crab fishery open in the remaining delayed area of Humboldt County.

Due to the potential for whales in this area to become entangled in trap buoy lines, Dungeness crab may currently only be taken with hoop nets, crab snares, or by hand in accordance with the declared trap prohibition in RAMP Fishing Zone 1. Effective 8:01 a.m., January 2, 2026, crab trap restrictions in this area will be lifted and all recreational gear types may be used statewide.

After being delayed due to entanglement risk, the commercial Dungeness crab fishery in the Central Management Area (Sonoma/Mendocino County line (38°46.125’ N. latitude) to Point Conception (34°27’ N. latitude)) will open on January 5, 2026, at 12:01 a.m., under a 40% trap reduction. The trap reduction is expected to reduce entanglement risk for humpback whales by decreasing the number of vertical lines attached to traps in the water. The Dungeness crab season in the Northern Management Area (California/Oregon border (42° N. latitude) to the Sonoma/Mendocino County line) remains delayed because of the inability to conduct meat quality testing due to elevated levels of domoic acid. Pending results of ongoing domoic acid testing, the season will open on January 15, 2026, at 12:01 a.m., under a 15% trap reduction.

For more information related to the risk assessment process, please visit CDFW’s Whale Safe Fisheries page. For more information on the Dungeness crab fishery, please visit CDFW's Invertebrates of Interest: Crab web page.

For the latest information on domoic acid, health advisories and season closures, please see the following:

CDFW:

Fishery closure information and health advisories page
Domoic Acid Fishery Closure Information Line: (831) 649-2883

CDPH:

Domoic Acid(opens in new tab) results website (subsection Analytical Data – Crabs)
Shellfish advisories page for latest consumption warnings
Biotoxin information Line: (510) 412-4643 or (800) 553-4133

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Media Contacts:
Christy Juhasz, CDFW Marine Region, (707) 292-2480
Katie Talbot, CDFW Communications

CA Recreational Dungeness Crab Season to Open with Trap Restriction While the Commercial Dungeness Crab Fishery is Delayed to Protect Whales from Entanglement

Fri, 25 Oct 2024 13:45:49 GMT

The recreational Dungeness crab season will open statewide beginning Nov. 2, 2024. The use of traps will be temporarily prohibited between the Sonoma/Mendocino County line and Lopez Point, Monterey County (Fishing Zones 3 and 4) when the season opens due to presence of humpback whales and potential for entanglement from trap gear. Recreational take of Dungeness crab by other methods, including hoop nets and crab snares, is not affected by the temporary trap restriction in these areas.

The use of recreational crab traps will be allowed when the season opens in Fishing Zones 1, 2, and 5. As a reminder, crab traps cannot be used south of Point Arguello. In addition, a Fleet Advisory has been issued for all Fishing Zones for the recreational fishery.

The commercial Dungeness crab fishery south of the Sonoma/Mendocino County line was scheduled to open on Nov. 15, 2024, in Fishing Zones 3, 4, 5 and 6. However, the season opener has been delayed (PDF) in those zones due to the high abundance of humpback whales and large number of recent entanglements (PDF).

CDFW reminds anglers that the deployment and use of crab traps in any recreational crab fishery (including rock crab) is temporarily restricted in Fishing Zones 3 and 4 until lifted by the CDFW Director. Recreational crabbers should also implement best practices when fishing with hoop nets or crab traps in open Fishing Zones, as described in the Best Practices Guide (PDF).

CDFW anticipates the next risk assessment will take place on or around Nov. 15, 2024, at which time the Director will re-evaluate risk for the Dungeness crab fisheries. That risk assessment is expected to inform the potential for a statewide commercial fishery opener on Dec. 1, 2024, and the potential to modify the recreational trap restriction.

For more information related to the risk assessment process, please visit CDFW’s Whale Safe Fisheries page or more information on the Dungeness crab fishery, visit wildlife.ca.gov/crab.

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Media Contacts:
Ryan Bartling, CDFW Marine Region, (415) 238-2638
Steve Gonzalez, CDFW Communications, (916) 804-1714

CDFW News

Recreational Dungeness Crab Fishery to Open in Last Closed Area of Humboldt County After Delay Due to Public Health Risks

CA Recreational Dungeness Crab Season to Open with Trap Restriction While the Commercial Dungeness Crab Fishery is Delayed to Protect Whales from Entanglement