Bay Area Dungeness Crab Season to Close April 30 for Whale Protection

Experimental whale-safe gear will be allowed starting May 7 to resume fishing

Apr. 17, 2026 at 8:40pm

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A bold, abstract painting featuring sweeping geometric arcs, concentric circles, and precise botanical spirals in shades of green, blue, and ochre, conceptually representing the complex interplay between the Dungeness crab fishing industry and the migration patterns of humpback whales off the California coast.A new state order aims to protect migrating whales by temporarily closing the Bay Area's lucrative Dungeness crab season and allowing the use of innovative, whale-safe fishing gear.Pescadero Today

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has announced that the Bay Area's commercial Dungeness crab fishing season will close on April 30 to protect migrating humpback whales. However, crabbers who hold experimental fishing permits will be allowed to use whale-safe 'pop-up' gear starting May 7 to resume fishing.

Why it matters

Protecting whales from entanglement in crab fishing gear has been an ongoing challenge in the Bay Area, leading to delays and closures of the lucrative Dungeness crab season in recent years. This new order aims to balance the needs of the crab fishing industry with conservation efforts.

The details

The closure applies to Zone 3, the waters from the Sonoma-Mendocino County line south to Pigeon Point near Pescadero. Crabbers using traditional vertical lines, which can entangle whales, will have until April 30 to wrap up their season. Starting May 7, crabbers with experimental permits will be allowed to use whale-safe 'pop-up' gear that stores the rope and buoy on the seafloor until an acoustic release mechanism sends the buoy to the surface.

  • The 2025-26 Dungeness crab season, which normally would have started November 15, began on January 5, 2026 with a 40% reduction in traps to protect whales.
  • In 2024, 19 fishermen tested the pop-up gear during a season closure and saw a 98% success rate, yielding $1.5 million worth of crab.

The players

Meghan Hertel

Director of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, who issued the order to close the Dungeness crab season on April 30 and allow experimental whale-safe gear starting May 7.

Oceana

A conservation group that provided data on the success of the pop-up gear tested by fishermen in 2024.

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What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This order highlights the ongoing efforts to balance the needs of the lucrative Dungeness crab fishing industry with the imperative to protect migrating whales in the Bay Area. The use of experimental whale-safe gear offers a potential solution, but continued collaboration between regulators, conservationists, and fishermen will be crucial to ensuring a sustainable future for this iconic California fishery.