Credit: CDFW
Northern Commercial Fishery to Remain Closed Until at Least Jan. 15 Due to Crab Quality Testing and Domoic Acid
December 21, 2025 – The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) will open the commercial Dungeness crab fishery in the Central Management Area (Sonoma/Mendocino County line (38°46.125’ N. latitude) to Point Conception (34°27’ N. latitude)) beginning Jan. 5, 2026, at 12:01 a.m., with pre-soak to begin on Jan. 2, 2026, at 8:01 a.m. This area (Fishing Zones 3, 4 and 5) will be subject to a 40% trap reduction. The trap reduction is expected to reduce entanglement risk for humpback whales by decreasing the number of vertical lines attached to traps in the water…