News Archive

The California Fish and Game Commission (Commission) acted on a variety of issues affecting California’s natural resources at its Dec.11-12 meeting in Sacramento, including emergency action to list the invasive golden mussel as a restricted species. The Commission also acted to extend emergency regulations 90 days for the recreational catch-and-release white sturgeon season and added language for permitted catch handling. The public was able to participate in the meeting in person, via webinar and by phone.

The recreational fishery for Dungeness crab is open in the portion of northern California that was delayed due to a public health hazard. State health agencies determined that consuming the meat of Dungeness crab taken in waters from the California/Oregon border (42° 0.00’ N latitude) to the southern boundary of the Reading Rock State Marine Reserve (41° 17.6’ N latitude) no longer poses a significant threat for domoic acid exposure.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is continuing the temporary recreational crab trap restriction from the Sonoma/Mendocino county line to Lopez Point (Fishing Zones 3 and 4) due to presence of humpback whales and the potential for entanglement from trap gear.

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.

The California Fish and Game Commission acted on a variety of issues affecting California’s natural resources at its Oct. 9-10 meeting.