Recreational Crabbing

August 18, 2016

Question: I know Dungeness crab season is now closed but I am still interested in fishing for all other crabs off the Pacifica pier this weekend. I have one hoop net and one Danielson crab trap. I reviewed regulations 29.80 and 29.85 and see I can have up to 10 hoop nets but don’t see a limit for crab traps. Is there a crab trap limit? Is it true no permit is required off the Pacifica pier? Is there a time limit for traps as there is for hoop nets (two hours as per CCR Title 14, section 29.80(b)(2))? (Christopher A., San Francisco)

Answer: On public piers, only two fishing appliances (e.g. your hoop net and trap) may be used per person (CCR Title 14, section 28.65.) No sport fishing license is required when fishing from public piers (Fish and Game Code, section 7153), so you may fish from Pacifica pier for crab without a sport fishing license. There is no requirement for checking traps every two hours as there is for hoop nets. However, as of Aug. 1, recreational crab traps must now contain at least one destructive device (as outlined in CCR Title 14, section 29.80(c)(2)).

Isn't rock crab still closed in that area for domoic acid concerns?

I doubt the guy has kelp crab in mind and I don't know about sheep crab that far north.

Isn't rock crab still closed in that area for domoic acid concerns?

I doubt the guy has kelp crab in mind and I don't know about sheep crab that far north.

Yep. Open south of Pigeon Point, closed north of it.

https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/Marine/Invertebrates/Crabs#315201110-updated-recreational-regulations--dungeness-crab-and-rock-crab-emergency-closures-762016