California fish and wildlife officials are delaying the opening of the commercial Dungeness crab season to protect endangered humpback whales and other marine life from deadly entanglements.
The state Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Risk Assessment and Mitigation Program determined that too many whales are present at this time for crabbing to occur safely.
According to the Center for Biological Diversity, at least 11 humpback whales along the California coast have been entangled in fishing gear in 2022 thus far.
The commercial Dungeness crab season was scheduled to open Nov. 15 for crabbers setting traps south of the Mendocino County line to the Mexico border. The next risk assessment is expected to take place on or about Nov. 23.
