Humpback Whales Delay Dungeoness Crab Season Along Sonoma Coast

SONOMA COUNTY, CA — The start of recreational Dungeness crab season has been delayed off the Sonoma coast, and much of the Bay Area coastline, to protect migrating humpback whales and other marine life.

Elsewhere along the California coast, the recreational use of crab traps is permitted in all other local zones as of Thursday.

"Fishing Zones 1, 2, 5 and 6 are now open, and fresh Dungeness crabs have been arriving at local markets and onto the plates of eager crab-loving Californians," said California Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Charlton Bonham.

The season also opened at 9 a.m. Friday in Zone 4 — from Pigeon Point south to Lopez Point — and the Zone 4 commercial fishery will open Thursday, Dec. 16. Commercial fishing activity in Zone 4 is limited to depths of 40 fathoms and shallower, and crafts must have an electronic monitoring system.

The commercial fishery will continue to be delayed in Zone 3— from the Sonoma/Mendocino county line to Pigeon Point in San Mateo County — due to high numbers of humpback whales present in the Gulf of the Farallones, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife said.

Cases of large whale entanglements off the West Coast have increased in recent years, according to the department. Humpback whales foraging near the Farallones Islands are at risk of becoming entangled in crab traps. Once whales have migrated further south to their winter breeding grounds, the commercial season can open, and the temporary recreational trap restriction in Zone 3 can be lifted. The entanglement risk measures are new this season under updates to the Fish and Game Code.

The temporary crab trap restriction for the recreational fishery will remain in place in Zone 3 until marine life safety can be evaluated next week.

Visit CDFW's Whale Safe Fisheries page and Wildlife.ca.gov/crab for information about the new recreational crab trap regulations.

Bay City News Service contributed to this report.