Crab Boats That Fish Oregon First Face a 30-Day Wait When California's Season Opens | Daily Tidings

Oregon crab boats that fish in state waters before heading south may have to wait 30 days once California’s delayed Dungeness crab season opens in certain areas. California’s Department of Fish and Wildlife said on Oct. 30 that commercial fishing would be delayed from the Oregon border to Point Conception until at least Jan. 1, 2027 due to 2026 humpback whale entanglements. Officials plan another risk assessment in mid-December. Under California’s “fair-start” provision, vessels that fished in qualifying commercial Dungeness crab fisheries in California, Oregon or Washington during the same season must wait 30 days after a delayed California zone opens before they can take, possess onboard, or land crab there. The rule also applies to zones delayed with depth restrictions or reduced gear. Oregon’s season depends on preseason testing in early November, measuring crab meat recovery and domoic acid levels, using samples from six major ports.