California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Director Charlton H. Bonham has assessed entanglement risk under the Risk Assessment Mitigation Program (RAMP) and announced the commercial Dungeness crab fishery will open in Fishing Zones 1 and 2 on January 5, 2024, at 12:01am (gear setting period to begin on Jan. 2, 2024, at 8:01 am) under a Fleet Advisory, and will be delayed in in Fishing Zones 3, 4, 5, and 6 until at least the next risk assessment. The recreational crab trap restriction in Fishing Zones 3 and 4 will continue until at least the next risk assessment. The Fleet Advisory for the recreational fleet in Fishing Zones 1-6 remains in effect. Recreational take of Dungeness crab by other methods, including hoop nets and crab snares, is not affected by the temporary trap restriction and is allowed statewide.
The next scheduled risk assessment is expected to occur on or around Jan. 11, 2024. The full news release can be found at the CDFW News Room and for more information, please visit CDFW’s Whale Safe Fisheries webpage.