Crab Poaching Bust at Thornton Beach

August 30, 2025

Just after 9 p.m. on Aug. 30, CDFW wildlife officers responded to a CALTIP report of crab poaching at Thornton Beach in San Francisco. What started as “about 30 people” turned out to be closer to 45 individuals illegally taking Dungeness crabs by hand under lights during the closed season. As groups hiked back up the trail, wildlife officers intercepted them. Some dropped bags of crabs and ran, while others were stopped as they attempted to evade and make their way to their vehicles. From 9:45 p.m. until 4 a.m., wildlife officers issued 15 citations and seized crabs stuffed into trash bags, backpacks and grocery sacks. Most of the catch were undersized females, which are illegal to take any time.
 
Thanks to the tip and quick action by wildlife officers, hundreds of Dungeness crab were saved. Instead of ending up in a pot, these crabs were returned to the beach and scuttled back to their rightful underwater spots. These crabs got to crawl back home, and you can help keep it that way.

Pitch in and report poaching by calling CalTIP at 1-888-334-2258 or using the Tip411 app!

F’n A Hole’s
Glad they got caught!

Wow, what a bunch of scums. Glad the crabs were released; I hope most of them survived.

I really hope they learn their lesson.

45 perps! That's a whole community with no regard for the law. Need larger fines/ jail time.

Sometime last year, I happened to be at the Thornton Beach parking lot at around 10pm and saw a bunch of folks on the beach wading in the water with flashlights. A few moments later, the DFG came by a busted all of them for crab poaching. You'd think people would know by now, but nope.   

Glad they got caught.
I've seen a certain group completely ignore the regs repeatedly.
+1 on HUGE r fines...