It is official. No traps from Gualala to Lopez Point until at least November 22. At that time an updated assessment of the whales and turtles in the area will determine whether traps are opened here or if we wait some more. Rings and snares are fine to use. The commercial fleet will be sitting in port until at least the same time. They don't get an option to use rings. Obviously this is not what anybody wanted, but considering the fact that the other option for CDFW was to not open Dungeness crabbing at all, well, I guess we can probably make it work. For those of you that are deciding to just sit it out and wait for traps to open, cool, but you may end up dropping your gear at the same time as or even after the commercial fleet drops theirs. There's no need to give you a head start when you already got one. It may not be the start you want but it's at least 16 days without real competition. I am not a good crabber, so I need the head start. It also may very likely be a longer delay than just the 22nd, as the whales and turtles must leave before the flyover (on or about the 15th) and currently the conditions are kinda weird. Storms are trying to send the whales packing but there's still bait around, enough for the whales to be encouraged to stay. Enough bait, even, for a good salmon bite on Halloween day and an insane bluefin tuna bite out of Santa Cruz with guys catching multiple fish up to and perhaps over 200 pounds. The water is still 58º F at Cordell Bank. Talk about mixed messaging. Anything could happen and probably will.

     About that salmon bite; Thumbs sent this over: "Would you plz give Dennis Rioual a last day recognition for catching a couple of nice salmon on the closing day halloween day, it would mean a bunch to him and a favor for me, caught just south of abbots,,...thanx " October salmon are pretty special and multiple salmon on Halloween is quite a treat indeed. 

    The Coastodian caught a salmon yesterday as well: "Hi Willy,

A fine finish to a fine salmon season.

Boated this 30+ pound fish south of Bird, North of Elephant 35 pulls down in 80 ft of water.

Had three other bites, one we never saw, two we felt but they were off in seconds.

Light drizzle on four occasions followed by sun to dry us off.

Heard of several other fish caught south or north of us. Lots more fish not sticking.

Saw no whales." You know, when they chopped the early and later parts off of this season I figured that the later part didn't matter, as the season usually functionally ends here in September. But now, damn. Guess what you'll be hooking while you're rockfishing this month. 

    Russ Lincoln took this photo of Cameron and I trolling for salmon in the evening back in August. We lost our only bite that night, but it was pretty. Those wildfires do make for a beautiful sunset.

For those that wish to see the official press release:

Media Contacts: Ryan Bartling, CDFW Marine Region, (415) 238-2638 Jordan Traverso, CDFW Communications, (916) 212-7352

CDFW Works with the Recreational and Commercial Dungeness Crab Fleets to Protect Whales and Sea Turtles from Entanglement

The recreational take of Dungeness crab using crab traps in Fishing Zones 3 and 4, (from the Sonoma/Mendocino county line to Lopez Point) will be temporarily restricted when the season opens on Nov. 6 due to presence of humpback whales and leatherback sea turtles and the potential for entanglement from trap gear. The season had been scheduled to open statewide on Nov. 6, 2021. However, the deployment and use of crab traps in any recreational crab fishery (including rock crab) is temporarily restricted in those zones until lifted by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Director. The recreational take of Dungeness crab using crab traps is allowed starting Nov. 6, 2021 in Fishing Zones 1 and 2 (from the Oregon state line to the Sonoma/Mendocino county line) and in Fishing Zones 5 and 6 (the area south of Lopez Point). The CDFW Director is opening the fishery in these zones under a Fleet Advisory and reminds recreational crabbers to implement best practices, as described in the Best Practices Guide. Recreational take of Dungeness crab by other methods, including hoop nets and crab snares, is not affected by the temporary trap restriction and is allowed statewide beginning Nov. 6, 2021. For more information, please see the FAQs for the new recreational crab trap regulations or CDFW’s Whale Safe Fisheries Webpage.   The commercial Dungeness crab fishery south of the Sonoma/Mendocino county line was scheduled to open on Nov. 15, 2021 in Fishing Zones 3, 4, 5 and 6. However, the season opener has been delayed in Fishing Zones 3 and 4 (Sonoma/Mendocino county line to Lopez Point) due to presence of humpback whales and leatherback sea turtles and the potential for entanglement. Fishing Zones 5 and 6 are scheduled to open Nov. 15 under a Fleet Advisory, pending Domoic Acid testing results. CDFW reminds the commercial fleet in these fishing zones to implement best practices, as described in the Best Practices Guide. CDFW also reminds all commercial fishery participants that, pursuant to Senate Bill 80 (McGuire, 2021), “fair start” now applies to delays implemented to reduce the risk of marine life entanglement and commercial traps may be baited 64 hours before the opening of the season statewide.   “This is the first time the recreational Dungeness crab fishery is subject to similar measures as commercial crabbers to help protect whales and sea turtles," said CDFW Director Charlton H. Bonham. "We recognize that change takes time but thank all Californians who treasure these recreational fishing opportunities. We continue to value and appreciate the work put in by the fleet and the California Dungeness Crab Fishing Gear Working Group. This year, while the start of the recreational season may look different, the process allowed us to open some parts of the coast to recreational crab traps and all the coast to recreational crabbing with other fishing methods. This shows there is a way to partner more closely with the recreational fishery to protect California's whales and sea turtles while still providing meaningful recreational and commercial fishing opportunities."   Prior to this determination, CDFW worked with a broad range of scientific partners, researchers, agencies and the California Dungeness Crab Fishing Gear Working Group to collect and synthesize information regarding presence of humpback whales, blue whales and leatherback sea turtles across each fishing zone. Aerial surveys, vessel-based surveys, and satellite telemetry data indicate aggregations of humpback whales and several leatherback sea turtles still present within Fishing Zones 3 and 4. Under triggers established as part of the Risk Assessment and Mitigation Program (RAMP) regulations for the commercial fishery, as well as new regulations adopted by the Fish and Game Commission for the recreational Dungeness crab fishery, the CDFW Director is required to implement a management action for these fishing zones to reduce marine life entanglement risk.   For the commercial fishery, Fishing Zones 1 and 2 are not scheduled to open until Dec.1, 2021 and crab meat quality test results are not yet available. CDFW has not yet evaluated the need for any actions to reduce marine life entanglement risk in these zones.   CDFW anticipates the next risk assessment will take place on or before Nov. 22, 2021, at which time the Director will re-evaluate the temporary recreational crab trap restriction and commercial fishery delay in Fishing Zones 3 and 4, as well as the need for any management actions for the commercial fishery in Fishing Zones 1 and 2. For more information related to the risk assessment process, please visit CDFW’s Whale Safe Fisheries page or more information on the Dungeness crab fishery, please visit www.wildlife.ca.gov/crab