The recreational take of Dungeness crab using crab traps, hoop nets and snares is allowed starting tomorrow, Nov. 6, 2021, in Fishing Zones 1 and 2 (from the Oregon state line to the Sonoma/Mendocino county line) and in Fishing Zones 5 and 6 (the area south of Lopez Point, Monterey County). The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Director is opening the recreational fishery in these zones under a Fleet Advisory and reminds recreational crabbers to implement best practices, as described in the Best Practices Guide to minimize marine life entanglement.
The recreational take of Dungeness crab using crab traps will be temporarily restricted in Fishing Zones 3 and 4, from the Sonoma/Mendocino county line (38° 46.125 N latitude) to Lopez Point (36° N latitude) when the season opens tomorrow due to potential of entanglement of humpback whales and leatherback sea turtles in trap gear. The deployment and use of crab traps in any recreational crab fishery (including rock crab) is temporarily restricted in those zones until lifted by the CDFW Director. Recreational take of Dungeness crab by other methods, including hoop nets and crab snares, is not affected by the temporary trap restriction in these zones and is allowed statewide beginning tomorrow, Nov. 6, 2021. Please see the summary of hoop net regulations prior to deploying gear this weekend.
CDFW also reminds crabbers that new regulations require recreational crab traps to have a single standardized main buoy which measures at least 5 inches by 11 inches and a single red marker buoy that measures 3 inches by 5 inches. The marker buoy may be attached to the main buoy or on a trailer line no more than 3 feet in length. No additional buoys or trailer buoys may be used. There is also a 10-trap limit and all
