Recreational Dungeness Crab Fishery Opens in Del Norte, Mendocino and Parts of Humboldt Counties After Delay Due to Public Health Risks
![Crabs in a crab pot. [Photo from CDFW]](https://kymkemp.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/unnamed-2021-11-19T182837.967.jpg)
Crabs in a crab pot. [Photo from CDFW]
After a delay to the season opener due to elevated levels of domoic acid, the recreational Dungeness crab fishery opened [yesterday] in Del Norte and Mendocino counties and part of Humboldt County, though trap restrictions remain in place due to elevated entanglement risk.
State health agencies determined that Dungeness crab in waters from the California/Oregon border (42° 0.0′ N. latitude) to the southern boundary of the Reading Rock Marine Protected Areas (41° 17.6’ N latitude) and from Cape Mendocino (40° 10.0’ N. latitude) to the Sonoma/Mendocino County line (38° 46.125’ N. latitude) can open with some areas under a health advisory issued by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). Under a health advisory, the CDPH recommends to not eat crab viscera (also known as guts) and to clean crab prior to cooking.
Following the recommendation from state health agencies, California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Director Charlton H. Bonham declared the recreational Dungeness crab fishery open in Del Norte County, Mendocino County, and parts of Humboldt County. The remaining area within Humboldt County continues to be closed due to elevated levels of domoic acid.
Testing of Dungeness crab will continue to determine when the fishery can safely reopen. Domoic acid testing is a coordinated effort between fishery participants, CDPH and CDFW.
Based on the last whale and sea turtle entanglement risk assessment, Director Bonham declared a trap restriction in the northernmost part of the state. Therefore, only hoop nets or crab snares may be used in this area (California/Oregon border to the southern boundary of the Reading Rock Marine Protected Areas). Anglers may use crab traps from Cape Mendocino to the Sonoma/Mendocino County line. A crab trap restriction also remains in effect from the Sonoma/Mendocino County line to Lopez Point, in addition to a Fleet Advisory in all areas.
The commercial Dungeness crab season remains delayed due to entanglement risk, elevated levels of domoic acid and crab quality testing. Entanglement risk will be reevaluated next week to inform a possible opening of the commercial fishery around the New Year and possible lifting of the recreational trap restrictions.
For more information related to the risk assessment process, please visit CDFW’s Whale Safe Fisheries page. For more information on the Dungeness crab fishery, please visit wildlife.ca.gov/crab.
For the latest information on domoic acid, health advisories and season closures, please see the following: CDFW:
** Fishery closure information and health advisories page
** Domoic Acid Fishery Closure Information Line: (831) 649-2883CDPH:
** Domoic Acid results website (subsection Analytical Data – Crabs)
** Shellfish advisories web page for latest consumption warnings
** Biotoxin information Line: (510) 412-4643 or (800) 553-4133###
Join the discussion! For rules visit: https://kymkemp.com/commenting-rules
Comments system how-to: https://wpdiscuz.com/community/postid/10599/
Wtf now there’s sea turtle entanglement? Jesus Christ the environmentalists will not stop.
No man, the fishing industry won’t stop dumping their nets and sailing away, leaving them to entangle ALL large marine life. This is a human caused problem, again. Over and over and over again and we never, ever learn that our horrific treatment of this planet is going to kill everything and everyone. HUMANS!!!!
We are not talking about the “fishing industry,” but about private people in boats setting their pots with a single line. If you think these folks are killing everything in sight sadly you are not correct. Even the commercial fisherman using big nets are restricted in the amount of crab they can harvest. In the beginning of each season the various types of crabs which have very low numbers are not allowed to be harvested.
We are talking about the “fishing industry.”
This industry includes everything from small, privately owned vessels to large commercial trawlers. The damage caused by irresponsible practices is cumulative.
Regulations, such as those discussed in this article, are designed to promote responsible practices– thus limiting unwanted harms.
I realize that, but the article covers crab fishing which is a small part of the overall fishing industry.
That’s why I am not human anymore. I’m just a being.
If you eat crab you’re eating: bivalves (clams, mussels, oysters), crustaceans (shrimp, small crabs, isopods), fish, worms, and snails. Ew. Bottom feeders.
Same applies if you’re reading his comment. Ew. Bottom feeders.
Looks like the private crab fisherman will have crab on the table for Christmas dinner. I for one really enjoy it. I not too worried about sea turtles being entangled as most of the crabbers I know use pots and the turtles are too big to get inside. Just a single rope and a surface buoy is all the equipment. Nets are not used much except in Alaska.
Regulations such as the amount of this toxic acid allowable in crab meat are always a compromise between what science says should be the practice and demands of industry.
Therefore I suspect that the allowable levels are too high to actually be truly undamaging to health.
So in situations like this were levels are barely allowable, I’ll pass on crab.
Total nonsense
So from what I’m reading it opened from Reading rock north. Humboldt bay had good enough water to crab at .13 domoic acid. Trinidad had .50. So if you can make a longitude and latitude line for northern waters why can we have a line out of humboldt bay a little north to fish if our waters are safe. Eel river i believe had 0 percent at testing last week. So we have plenty of water we could crab they just won’t open it
Well, if crab season is open, we all better get crackin’ !
!