California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Director Meghan Hertel has assessed entanglement risk under the Risk Assessment Mitigation Program (RAMP) and announced changes to both commercial and recreational Dungeness crab fisheries in Fishing Zones 4 and 5 (Pigeon Point, 37°11’ N Latitude to Point Conception, 34°27’ N Latitude). These changes include authorizing the use of alternative […]
Dungeness crab
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Crab Season Closing to Protect Whales from Entanglement
The North Coast’s commercial Dungeness crab season is officially closing on June 20 at 6 p.m. after a risk assessment was conducted by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (CDFW) Director Charlton H. Bonham on June 13. A confirmed entanglement of a juvenile humpback whale with two different sets of crab fishing gear was […]
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Fishers Make the Most of a Better Crab Season
The rain is misting over Woodley Island Marina’s Dock B, where the Jenna Lee is moored. Kristen Pinto, in a bright yellow slicker, pulls three Dungeness crabs from the trickling bin on the deck of the adjacent home-built pontoon boat from which the Pinto family sells to the public as Jenna Lee’s Seafood. “It’s been […]
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Local Commercial Dungeness Crab Season to Open in January
After delays due to poor meat quality and concerns about whale entanglements, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife today announced the local commercial Dungeness crab fishery will open Jan. 5. The opening zone stretches from the Oregon state line down to the Sonoma-Mendocino county line. Meanwhile, local restrictions on the use of recreational crab […]
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Local Commercial Crab Season Opener is Set
Get the butter ready, the crab is coming. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced today that the Dungeness commercial season opener for Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte counties is now set for Dec. 31 at 12:01 a.m., with a 64-hour gear setting period that will begin at 8:01 a.m. on Dec. 28. The […]
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Commercial Crab Season Delayed
The commercial Dungeness crab season has been delayed until at least Dec. 31 in Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte counties due to poor meat quality, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. The opening date is pending another round of testing, a news release states. “If results indicate good quality, the fishery will […]
Posted inLife + Outdoors
Sport Crab Season a Go for Saturday
One of the most popular fisheries on the North Coast will commence Saturday, on time, albeit with a few temporary regulation changes. Due to presence of humpback and blue whales and the potential for entanglement from trap gear, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife restricted the recreational take of Dungeness crab using crab traps […]
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North Coast’s Commercial Dungeness Season Closing Due to Entanglement Risk
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is closing the commercial Dungeness crab season statewide due to “assessed entanglement risk,” with the North Coast season now ending on April 20 at noon. “We received reports of additional humpback whale entanglements and moved quickly to close the fishery to protect migrating humpback whales that are just […]
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NCJ Preview: Gift Guide, Karuk Land Return, Mushrooms and Crab
This week we’re peeking into the pages of the annual Gift Guide and the story behind its cover art. We’re also looking at proposed legislation to return 1,200 acres of land to the Karuk Tribe and why it’s culturally and historically significant. If you’re a mushroom fan or mushroom hunter, you’ll want to get in […]
Posted inLife + Outdoors
Sport Crab Season is a Go
One of the most popular fisheries on the North Coast almost didn’t happen. It was a tense few days waiting to hear if the California Dept. of Fish and Wildlife would delay the sport Dungeness crab opener due to presence of humpback whales and leatherback sea turtles, and the potential for entanglement from trap gear. Turns […]
Posted inEat + Drink
Crab Cioppino
My mom’s recipe for crab cioppino became well known at the Ivanhoe in Ferndale when my dad owned it in the late 1940s. They were raising my two older sisters before the rest of us were born. Maybe my mom was raising them, as my dad was a bar owner. Her recipe was locally famous […]
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Photos: The Crab Has Landed
After delays due to weight and price negotiations, and despite rough seas over the weekend that led to one fishing boat requiring rescue by the Coast Guard, Humboldt welcomed crab boats to its docks and their haul of Dungeness to its tables. Boats like the Sandy B, The Corregidor, the Josie L and the Jenna […]