Department of Fish and Wildlife Archives

CALIFORNIA: California crabbers have a whale of a problem: Season’s start delayed again

November 1, 2024 — California Dungeness crab, a staple of holiday celebrations for many West Coast families, won’t be widely available before early December and possibly not until next year – again.

For the sixth year in a row, the state’s Department of Fish and Wildlife has delayed the start of the commercial crab fishing season through most of the state’s coast to protect endangered humpback whales from getting entangled in vertical fishing lines, which can result in injuries and death.

Dungeness crabs, larger, meatier and more abundant in California than other species, are treasured by locals as well as tourists, who frequently consume them at San Francisco’s Fisherman’s Wharf. The crustaceans are mostly found in the central and northern parts of the state.

Read the full article at USA TODAY

Fish farm has 60 days to fix net pens outside Seattle as 1 million Atlantic salmon move in

October 10, 2017 — SEATTLE — Just a week after the state Department of Fish and Wildlife approved shipment of 1 million more farmed Atlantic salmon to Cooke Aquaculture’s fish farm near Bainbridge Island, another state agency says it has found a hole in the nets and corrosion in the structure of the facility.

The Department of Natural Resources on Monday notified Cooke that it is in default of the terms of its lease at its Rich Passage operation. It ordered the facility repaired within 60 days, or the department may cancel the company’s lease for the facility, which operates over public bed lands.

Cooke will proceed with the stocking the fish, company spokeswoman Nell Halse said in an emailed statement. “We are meeting all permit requirements.”

Read the full story at The Seattle Times

Senator Wyden, Senator Merkley working on fish screens bill

May 5, 2o16 — Oregon Sens. Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley are pushing to reauthorize a voluntary, cost-share program with the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife that pays for installing fish screens and passage devices in four Northwest states.

The Fisheries Restoration and Irrigation Mitigation Act was initially passed in 2000 before expiring last year. Over the years, it has funded 127 projects that have reopened more than 1,130 miles of habitat to fish passage in Oregon, Washington, Idaho and western Montana.

Wyden and Merkley, the Democratic duo, want to extend FRIMA for $25 million from 2017 to 2024. The program not only protects native fish runs, but helps farmers by maintaining their irrigation canals.

Read the full story at the East Oregonian

Pacific Ocean salmon fishing shutdown an option for 2016 season

March 14, 2016 — Recreational and commercial salmon fishing off the coast of Washington could be shut down this summer because of a low number of returning coho salmon. The closure is one of three options being considered by the Pacific Fishery Management Council, which sets fishing seasons in ocean waters 3 to 200 miles off the Pacific coast.

The two other options, released early Monday would permit some salmon fishing this year.

Fishery biologists expect 380,000 Columbia River hatchery coho to return to the Washington coast this year, only about half of last year’s forecast. There were 242,000 coho that returned last year to the Columbia River, where some coho stocks are protected under the federal Endangered Species Act.

Biologists are citing a lack of forage fish and warmer water temperatures in the Pacific Ocean “blob” and from El Nino as key factors in last year’s lower than expected return of coho.

It’s not what we want to see, since all the coastal fishing communities are dependent on tourism and our commercial fishers going out and catching salmon. Butch Smith, owner of CoHo Charters and Motel in Ilwaco

As for chinook, the forecast calls for a robust return of Columbia River fall chinook salmon this year. That includes about 223,000 lower river hatchery fish, which traditionally have been the backbone of the recreational ocean chinook fishery, according to the state Department of Fish and Wildlife.

The last time the ocean salmon fishing season was closed was 1994. In 2008, fishing was severely curtailed.

“It’s not what we want to see, since all the coastal fishing communities are dependent on tourism and our commercial fishers going out and catching salmon. That’s our Microsoft and Boeing out here on the coast,” said Butch Smith, owner of CoHo Charters and Motel in Ilwaco. He also serves on a state advisory panel and was at the meeting in Sacramento where the ocean options were discussed.

Smith and Tony Floor, director of fishing affairs for the Northwest Marine Trade Association, believe there are enough salmon to craft some sort of fishing season for 2016.

Read the full story at The News Tribune

Members of California Delegation Push for Federal Disaster Declaration in Crab Fisheries

February 16, 2016 — The following was released by the office of Congressman Jared Huffman

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today, Congressmembers Jared Huffman (CA-02), Jackie Speier (CA-14), Sam Farr (CA-20), Lois Capps (CA-24) and Mike Thompson (CA-05) sent a letter to Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker urging her to expeditiously review and grant Governor Jerry Brown’s request to declare a fishery resource disaster in the California Dungeness crab and rock crab fisheries.

An unprecedented toxic bloom of marine algae called Pseudo-nitzchia australis containing the neurotoxin domoic acid has caused the closure of the commercial season that was scheduled to open in November 2015.

“The closures of the commercial Dungeness crab fishery and the partial closure of the rock crab fishery are causing severe economic hardship in California’s fishing communities,” the legislators wrote. “These fisheries are crucial to the coastal economy of central and northern California – last year, revenue from the sales of Dungeness crabs alone was estimated at just below $60 million.”

Even though the California Department of Public Health lifted the advisory in areas south of Point Reyes yesterday and the Department of Fish and Wildlife is considering opening the commercial season next week, the closure of the fisheries has already resulted in economic losses for stakeholders. According to the Governor’s estimates, the direct economic impact for the commercial closure is at least $48.3 million for Dungeness crab and $376,000 for rock crab.

A copy of the letter may be found below:

February 16, 2016

Dear Secretary Pritzker:

Earlier this week, Governor Jerry Brown wrote to you to request that you declare a fishery resource disaster in the California Dungeness crab and rock crab fisheries under section 308(d) of the Interjurisdictional Fisheries Act of 1986, and a commercial fishery failure under section 312(a) of the Magnuson Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act of 1976. This declaration will allow our communities to receive desperately-needed aid. We write in support of the Governor’s request for a disaster declaration, and ask that you work with the state to quickly complete the review process.

The closures of the commercial Dungeness crab fishery and the partial closure of the rock crab fishery are causing severe economic hardship in California’s fishing communities. These fisheries are crucial to the coastal economy of central and northern California – last year, revenue from the sales of Dungeness crabs alone was estimated at just below $60 million.

The cause of the closure, an unprecedented toxic bloom of the marine diatom Pseudo-nitzchia australis, has led to elevated levels of the neurotoxin domoic acid, which persist in the crabs’ bodies and in the environment and can be transmitted to humans via the food supply. While we remain hopeful that the toxin levels will continue to fall, our fishermen and coastal communities have already missed out on the most lucrative sales of the year. Many of these fishermen may not be able to catch enough crab this year to make ends meet, and the coastal communities that rely on this important source of revenue are already suffering.

Although the recent lifting of the health advisory for Dungeness crab south of Point Reyes is encouraging, the closure of the fishery has already resulted in lasting negative social and economic effects to fishery stakeholders and coastal communities along the coast of California. The Governor of California estimates that the direct economic impact from the commercial closures to date is at least $48.3 million for Dungeness crab and $376,000 for rock crab, as well as untold losses to other sectors of the fishing industry such as processors and distributors.

Given the severe hardship our constituents are currently experiencing, we urge you to review the Governor’s request as expeditiously as possible. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

Jared Huffman, et al.

Read the press release from the Office of Congressman Jared Huffman

Oregon and Washington to Commence Dungeness Fishing January 4; No Word on California Yet

SEAFOODNEWS.COM by Susan Chambers — December 22, 2015 — After a month-long delay, Oregon and Washington fishermen will be able to start harvesting Dungeness crab in January. Crabbers will be able to set their gear on Jan. 1 and start delivering crab to processors on Jan. 4.

Domoic acid testing in early December in southern Oregon showed levels that were safe but trending upward so managers – with industry input – decided to delay the whole Oregon coast and southern Washington coast fishery.

Testing now shows the toxin trend is going down in not only crab but also in other fish and shellfish in both Oregon and Washington.

California crabbers, though, will remain tied to the dock for some time yet. Testing in California tends to be more sporadic and unscheduled. There is no clear date when the central California season or northern California season will open.

Some advisers on Oregon industry call with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Monday recommended Oregon open before Washington, even if by a few days. But the majority recommended opening at the same time. Earlier in the month, Washington delayed its season in cooperation with Oregon, they said. Others reasoned that if both states opened concurrently, it might provide consumers with added confidence that Dungeness crab are toxin-free.

“Along with the state agencies, the Oregon commercial Dungeness crab industry has taken a very proactive and precautionary approach to the opening of this crab season in the interest of public safety,” ODFW Marine Resources Program Manager Caren Braby said.

Washington’s commercial fishery opening includes the waters from the mouth of the Columbia River north to Destruction Island as well as Grays Harbor and Willapa Bay. Crabbers can set their pots in this area on Jan. 1. The area north of Destruction Island will open later in coordination with tribal co-managers.

As the season gets underway, state agencies will continue to monitor marine biotoxins in shellfish to ensure the concentrations remain below the alert level to ensure the consumer safety.

State-supervised price negotiations between fishermen and processors are set for Dec. 22 and possibly Dec. 23 as well.

Some processors said after the industry conference call that they likely would eviscerate and section most of the crab coming in during the first part of the season and shift to whole-cooked crab later.

A few fishermen were concerned no live buyers were on the Oregon call to add perspective about the live market and what would happen if further testing shows an increase in domoic acid after the season starts.

This story originally appeared on SeafoodNews.com, a subscription site. It has been reprinted with permission.