So the CDFW has spoken on the decision on traps and commercial crabbing. Official statement to follow, but the bottom line is that the commercial guys get to drop traps for Dungeness starting on December 28, statewide. From Gualala south, commercials can only use half of their pots. They can regulate that by the tags that are issued to each fisherman for their pots. Half of those tags, which are normally attached to the buoys, shall be onboard the boat. Non-tagged buoys and pots may not be fished. Us sporties get to stick with hoops for a while, as we aren't allowed to use traps, yet. Maybe later. Here's the official word: "

Risk Assessment and Mitigation Program Update -  December 22, 2022

California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Director Charlton H. Bonham has assessed entanglement risk under the Risk Assessment Mitigation Program (RAMP) and continued the temporary trap restriction for the recreational crab fishery in Fishing Zones 3-6 due to elevated entanglement risk. The commercial Dungeness crab fishery will open statewide on Dec. 31, 2022. Fishing Zones 3-6 (all areas south of the Sonoma/Mendocino county Line) will open under a 50 percent trap reduction on Dec. 31, 2022 at 12:01 a.m., with a 64-hour gear setting period to begin on Dec. 28, 2022 at 8:01 a.m. This trap reduction will help reduce risk of entanglement as humpback whales continue to migrate to winter breeding grounds. Commercial Dungeness crab vessels operating in Fishing Zones 3-6 must understand and comply with the restrictions by reviewing the CDFW Declaration. Any commercial Dungeness Crab vessel fishing in or transiting Fishing Zones 3-6, regardless of fishing location, is subject to the 50 percent reduction and must have at least half of their valid buoy tags for the current fishing season onboard and available for inspection by CDFW at all times until the trap reduction is lifted. Fishing Zones 1 and 2 (Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte counties) had been delayed due to poor meat quality results but recent tests indicate crab are ready for market. The fishery will open on Dec. 31, 2022 at 12:01 a.m., with a 64-hour gear setting period that will begin at 8:01 a.m. on Dec. 28, 2022. The full news release can be found at the CDFW News Room and for more information, please visit CDFW’s Whale Safe Fisheries Webpage.

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    So, Gage and I launched at 8:30 this morning and headed out for some rockfishing. King tides made launching...... complicated, but we made it in. After crossing the bar we saw what looked like a guy in a tiny white boat between the TB buoy and the tip of Tomales Point, closer to the point. We were veering around him to avoid waking him when he started waving. We went over to him and as we approached we discovered that he was, in fact, sitting on the bottom of an overturned Whaler. His boat flipped as he was pulling his hoops when east wind-driven waves slopped over his stern and the boat rolled in seconds. He had time to grab his phone as the boat rolled over. He was chatting with the friendly folks at 911 when we pulled up. We discovered that dudes are heavier than the tuna we catch and are hard to pull over the gunnel. Also, no gaffs were used, for the record, which may have made it easier. We hauled him back in to the Landing, then ran back out and towed in the boat. Floating boats tow way better than overturned ones, it seems. Upside-down boat tow like boat-sized Rapalas. Thank goodness that the tide was still coming in. With the crazy high tide we couldn't pull the boat out, but we were able to drop it in the shallows with some help from Cameron and the Marin County Fire Department. After the tide dropped the boat got flipped upright and trailered. Gage and I continued out for limits of small rockfish and keeper lings by a bit after noon. The east wind made fishing a bit complicated but the fish still bit, just not as well as one would hope. They fried up well. Yum.