Tuesday April 21, 2026
National Fisherman —
California fishery managers are tightening restrictions on the commercial Dungeness crab fleet as whale entanglement risk rises along the coast, while also expanding the use of alternative gear.
California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) director Meghan Hertel announced new actions under the state’s Risk Assessment Mitigation Program (RAMP), targeting Fishing Zone 1 through 3, spanning from the California/ Oregon border south to Pigeon Point.
Under the latest determination, Fishing Zone 3– from the Sonoma/ Mendocino County line to Pigeon Point– will close to traditional trap gear at 6 p.m. on April 30. At that point, “the commercial take and possession of Dungeness crab from those waters is prohibited with traditional trap gear.”
CDFW is also opening the door for fishermen to continue working in the area using pop-up gear. Beginning 7 a.m. on May 7, vessels in Zone 3 will be authorized to deploy the ropeless systems, which keep lines and buoys stowed on the seafloor until retrieval.