April 8, 2025 — As the annual migration of humpback whales makes its way up the California coast, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is tightening restrictions on Dungeness crab gear to protect the endangered mammals while allowing fishing to continue where it’s safe.
Starting at 6 p.m. on April 15, new measures will go into effect for both commercial and recreational fisheries under the state’s Risk Assessment Mitigation Program (RAMP). The latest call from CDFW director Charlton H. Bonham balances the need to keep fishermen on the water with increasing risk of entanglements as whales return to forage offshore.