The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is seeing some humpback whale activity as they migrate north to feed. But, they say it’s not enough to warrant an early closure of California's multimillion dollar commercial crabbing season. Last year, the agency reported at least five cases of whales getting caught in crabbing trap lines.
If lines from crab traps wrap up around them, it becomes difficult for the whales to eat and reach the surface to breath. Dragging the lines can lead to infections or death.
Geoff Shester, a senior scientist at the conservation group Oceana, said CDFW will be doing another risk assessment near the end of the month.
“Our concern is that by the time that they are able to make an announcement we’ll be well into April and it may well be too late to prevent some of these entanglements," he said.
Humpback whales move north from the Pacific coast of Mexico to Alaska during the spring and summer months. Some entanglements have happened this early in their migration season in the past.
According to the CDFW, the Dungeness crab industry was worth around $54 million last year. Ryan Bartling, a scientist at CDFW, said fishery decisions are a balancing act between economic and conservation needs.
“The fishery’s been operating under a 50% gear reduction in an area south of the Sonoma-Mendocino county line since it opened," said Bartling. "So we’re already seeing decreased efforts, decreased number of traps. And so that gave us enough comfort to allow continued fishing opportunities.”
Bartling said this year, the agency is asking fishermen to remove their traps more quickly after the season ends.
The agency will be considering regulation changes later in 2024 that could make things more predictable for everyone. Bartling said one example would be closing the season automatically if an entanglement occurs. The proposed regulation changes will be open for public comment this spring.
