Hoops it is...

...at least for the start of the crab season here.

A Recreational Dungeness Crab Season to Open with Trap Restriction While the Commercial Dungeness Crab Fishery is Delayed to Protect Whales from Entanglement
The recreational Dungeness crab season will open statewide beginning Nov. 2, 2024. The use of traps will be temporarily prohibited between the Sonoma/Mendocino County line and Lopez Point, Monterey County (Fishing Zones 3 and 4) when the season opens due to presence of humpback whales and potential for entanglement from trap gear. Recreational take of Dungeness crab by other methods, including hoop nets and crab snares, is not affected by the temporary trap restriction in these areas. 

The use of recreational crab traps will be allowed when the season opens in Fishing Zones 1, 2, and 5. As a reminder, crab traps cannot be used south of Point Arguello. In addition, a Fleet Advisory has been issued for all Fishing Zones for the recreational fishery.

The commercial Dungeness crab fishery south of the Sonoma/Mendocino County line was scheduled to open on Nov. 15, 2024, in Fishing Zones 3, 4, 5 and 6. However, the season opener has been delayed in those zones due to the high abundance of humpback whales and large number of recent entanglements.

CDFW reminds anglers that the deployment and use of crab traps in any recreational crab fishery (including rock crab) is temporarily restricted in Fishing Zones 3 and 4 until lifted by the CDFW Director. Recreational crabbers should also implement best practices when fishing with hoop nets or crab traps in open Fishing Zones, as described in the Best Practices Guide.

CDFW anticipates the next risk assessment will take place on or around Nov. 15, 2024, at which time the Director will re-evaluate risk for the Dungeness crab fisheries. That risk assessment is expected to inform the potential for a statewide commercial fishery opener on Dec. 1, 2024, and the potential to modify the recreational trap restriction.

For more information related to the risk assessment process, please visit CDFW’s Whale Safe Fisheries page or more information on the Dungeness crab fishery, please visit www.wildlife.ca.gov/crab.

Ssdd
 
This is getting OLD.

MAYBE time to alter the open season to miss the migration?

I'm not surprised, but I am happy to go get some crabs.... I'd rather hoop net than nothing ...

What is the rationale behind the current crab dates? Molting/mating season?

I am happy. My crabbing style is usually kind of hoopy anyway.

I primarily use hoops already, but also have liked carrying at least one trap that I can soak for longer too.  They seem to always be pressing for commercial industry to adopt something like those time released buoys but that all comes a great expense to the commercial guys and adds to the prices.  Short term recreational fishing is still at least pretty good with hoops and rings while the whales are out there dining on the bait.

If they allowed traps from the beginning of the season, that would mean the commercial would be open at the same time as recreational. That would make a bigger difference than hoops vs traps - once commercial is open - regardless of what you use (hoops or traps), it’s much harder to catch any crabs (at least based on my limited experience) as commercial boats scoop them up from the deeper waters, so most crabs don’t even make it anymore in the kayak range.

If they allowed traps from the beginning of the season, that would mean the commercial would be open at the same time as recreational. That would make a bigger difference than hoops vs traps - once commercial is open - regardless of what you use (hoops or traps), it’s much harder to catch any crabs (at least based on my limited experience) as commercial boats scoop them up from the deeper waters, so most crabs don’t even make it anymore in the kayak range.

No and yes.

Commercial over the last ten years or so at least has typically been opened a couple weeks to a month after recreational even during the years when pots were allowed so no the commercial would not start at the same time as recreational. However if the restriction on pots continues throughout the crab season the recreational take is/would be much larger.

And yes once commercial opens the crabbing becomes much more challenging.

I'm not surprised, but I am happy to go get some crabs.... I'd rather hoop net than nothing ...

What is the rationale behind the current crab dates? Molting/mating season?

Lots of whales are putting a hold on commercial, and traps for recreational.