Overview
- State officials shifted the commercial opener from Nov. 1 to Jan. 1, citing ongoing risks to protected whales and other wildlife.
- Regulations require a closure once three humpback entanglements are confirmed in a calendar year, and reports show four cases so far in 2025.
- Widespread domoic acid has shut down parts of the North Coast fishery, with no harvest allowed from Gualala to Crescent City and a health advisory extending south to Point Reyes.
- Recreational crabbing is slated to begin Nov. 1 in most areas, but traps are restricted from the Sonoma–Mendocino county line to Lopez Point, hoop nets must be serviced every two hours, and a fleet advisory urges avoiding whale hot spots.
- Bay Area fishermen and restaurants report steep losses and higher prices as markets lean on Washington crab, and some operators warn they cannot afford potential pop-up gear even as advocates expect the technology to be considered for approval.