Friday, October 22, 2021

      I vaguely recall making some absurd statement a few days ago about things looking good for a November 6 sport Dungeness opener. I was younger and naive then, without the benefit of an extra couple of days for life to beat the optimism out of me. It appears that my youthful exuberance was misguided. I heard today that not only are there whales out there but there are several sea turtles in the area. The recommendation from the staff is for recreational Dungeness season to open on time, as scheduled, but you can't use traps between the Sonoma/Mendocino County line and Lopez Point (36º Latitude). Check out that link. It's not official until November 1, as noted here:


Risk Assessment and Mitigation Program Update
October 22, 2021
The CDFW Director will conduct an assessment of marine life entanglement risk for the commercial Dungeness crab fishery on or around November 1, 2021 using the Risk Assessment and Mitigation Program (RAMP). In addition, new regulations adopted by the California Fish and Game Commission provide the Director authority to apply management actions to the recreational crab fishery to minimize entanglement risk informed by RAMP.

The California Dungeness Crab Fishing Gear Working Group will meet on October 26, 2021 to review currently Available Data and CDFW's Initial Assessment and Preliminary Management Recommendation. The Director will consider the Working Group's recommendation, CDFW staff’s Final Assessment, and all data made available to CDFW prior to making a final determination of marine life entanglement risk. All materials will be posted on the Whale Safe Fisheries webpage as they become available.

 That means that the Director may choose other options, including not opening recreational crabbing or opening it fully. So, get those traps ready, and get those ring nets ready, but don't thaw the bait yet. 

I wish I hadn't thrown out all those old ring nets.... Oh well, at least no cottons.

10 comments:

Unknown said...

would these airial surveyors be so kind to tell us coordinates of bluefin sightings..?

Tailout said...

How is a Ring net different from a trap/pot? They both have lines and bouys. Next it will be the snare affairs

Willy said...

You legally have to pull your ring net every two hours or less, thus allowing you to move them if whales are sighted. That's the theory

Capn Al said...

I was informed that the opening of crab may be delayed until December.

Willy Vogler said...

That's a definite possibility. The preliminary recommendation suggests letting us fish with ring nets and the commercials getting delayed. There are lots of possibilities as there's a Final Assessment and Management Recommendation and a Working Group Recommendation coming, too.

Tracy said...

Hey Willy! Good thing you live at the top of the hill. I see Dillon Beach has gotten over 7 inches of rain in the last 48 hours. You may need your boat soon!

DrDetroit3 said...

What about traps for red and rock?

Willy said...

Traps are closed (no traps allowed) starting a week before Dungeness should open. So no traps starting on Saturday. Traps will not open I'm our area until whatever date is set on November 1

Willy said...

Plenty of room in the dry ground for all that rain. You could hear the earth sucking it in.

More, please

Capn Al said...

Information is the decision when to open crabbing in district 10, Zone 3 (Our area) will be decide November 22. Just my two cents.