Crabbing Regulations

November 18, 2021

Question: I have a few questions about the new trap regulations for recreational crabbing that took effect on November 1. Why the new regulations? Where can I find information about the new requirements for marker buoys, main buoys and validations?

Answer: We appreciate your interest in keeping up to date on recreational crabbing regulations. The new regulations are spelled out in California Code of Regulations (CCR), Title 14, sections 29.80 and 29.85. They were adopted to address entanglement risk in the recreational fishery and to minimize interaction potential with protected whales and sea turtles. The regulations establish a validation stamp requirement, trap limit, trap service interval, new trap marking requirements, and new authority for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) to temporarily limit the use of crab traps in times of increased entanglement risk. A full background report and rationale is available on the California Fish and Game Commission’s website(opens in new tab). You can find answers to the most commonly asked questions about the new regulations on our crab fishery web page.