Recreational Dungeness Crab Fishery Open in Northern California

December 9, 2024

The recreational fishery for Dungeness crab is open in the portion of northern California that was delayed due to a public health hazard. State health agencies determined that consuming the meat of Dungeness crab taken in waters from the California/Oregon border (42° 0.00’ N latitude) to the southern boundary of the Reading Rock State Marine Reserve (41° 17.6’ N latitude) no longer poses a significant threat for domoic acid exposure.

Following a recommendation from state health agencies, California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Director Charlton H. Bonham declared the recreational Dungeness crab fishery to be open in this area of northern California. 

CDFW Director Bonham continued to delay the northern California commercial Dungeness crab season for Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte counties until 12:01a.m. Dec. 31, 2024 due to poor quality crab. Crab meat quality tests were not conducted due to continued high domoic acid concentrations at one of the northern sampling locations. Another round of testing is anticipated to occur around Dec. 15 to determine whether the fishery may open on Dec. 31, 2024 or be delayed an additional 15 days until Jan. 15, 2025.

A continued delay in the opening of the commercial Dungeness crab season in Fishing Zones 3-6 (From the Sonoma/Mendocino county line to the U.S./Mexico International Border) also remains in place after entanglement risk was assessed under the Risk Assessment Mitigation Program (RAMP).

The temporary crab trap restriction in the recreational crab fishery in Fishing Zones 3 and 4 (From the Sonoma/Mendocino county line to Lopez Point [36° N. latitude]), and a Fleet Advisory for the recreational fleet in all Fishing Zones will also continue.

The next scheduled risk assessment is expected to occur on or around Dec. 20, 2024. For more information, please visit  CDFW's Whale Safe Fisheries Webpage

For the latest consumption warnings, please check for any Dungeness crab health advisory information on the CDPH's shellfish advisories page or by calling the CDPH’s Biotoxin information Line at (510) 412-4643 or toll-free at (800) 553-4133.

Wooooohoooooo!

I've been waiting for this; this'll be my first year crabbing!

I've just seen some conflicting info but will probably do what the guys on the boat did when I picked up crab for the first time: Top two before leaving the dock and put them on ice with the one still kicking.  We had them on ice from around 10AM to 6PM or so.

I've seen some folks say that having them dead for a while is less than ideal but I haven't had issues when getting them from the boats on the docks. 

Thanks for the update Howard.