North State Remains Open With Restrictions
The California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) announced it will close the commercial and recreational Dungeness crab fisheries using vertical fishing lines south of Pt. Arena at the Sonoma/ Mendocino County border (Zone 3), effective May 1. Commercial crab fishing from Monterey Bay to Morro Bay has been closed since mid-April.
Vertical lines in Zones 1-2 (Crescent City) will continue with 25 percent gear reduction and a 180 ft depth restriction, including areas in Humboldt and Del Norte Counties.
DFWD is diligently working to avoid whale entanglements on the West Coast.
Whale entanglements reached a six year high of 36 entanglements in 2024. Two humpback whales have become entangled in crab gear this past month, alone.
According to the National Marine Fisheries Service, roughly 75 percent of reported whale entanglements are fatal to the majestic mammals