Central Management Area (Dungeness)

In Fishing Zone 3 (Sonoma/Mendocino county line, 38°46.125' N. Latitude to Pigeon Point, 37°11' N. Latitude), a recreational trap prohibition will go into effect at 6 p.m. on May 22, 2026. CDFW anticipates the next risk assessment will take place in early June 2026.

A 30-fathom depth restriction will be implemented in the commercial Dungeness crab fishery effective 6 p.m. on April 30, 2026 in Fishing Zones 1 and 2 (California/Oregon border to the Sonoma/Mendocino county line). In Fishing Zone 3 (Sonoma/Mendocino county line to Pigeon Point), the commercial Dungeness crab fishery will close at 6 p.m. on April 30, 2026, at which time the commercial take and possession of Dungeness crab from those waters is prohibited unless using alternative gear, the use of which is authorized to begin at 7 a.m. on May 7, 2026. Permitted commercial Dungeness crab vessels are conditionally authorized to retrieve lost, damaged, abandoned, or otherwise derelict commercial Dungeness crab traps. Read the press release for details and conditions. There are no changes to the current recreational crab fishing regulations or seasons.

The commercial Dungeness crab fishery will close on March 27, 2026, at 6 p.m. in Fishing Zones 4 and 5 (Pigeon Point, 37°11' N Latitude to Point Conception, 34°27' N Latitude) at which time the commercial take and possession of Dungeness crab from those waters is prohibited unless using alternative gear, the use of which is authorized beginning April 3, 2026. This is the first time CDFW has authorized the use of alternative gear, or pop-up fishing gear, in the commercial Dungeness crab fishery. The use of approved alternative gear in Fishing Zones 4 and 5 will be allowed beginning April 3, 2026, at 7 a.m. The commercial fishery will remain open in Fishing Zones 1, 2, and 3 (California/Oregon border to Pigeon Point) under existing crab trap reductions. A recreational crab trap restriction will go into effect on March 27, 2026, at 6 p.m., in Fishing Zones 4 and 5. Recreational crabbers may not use crab traps in those fishing zones for the rest of the season, but take of Dungeness crab by other methods (including hoop nets and crab snares) will be allowed. The next risk assessment will take place in early April 2026.

2025 Preseason Coastal Dungeness crab Test Fishery Results for WA, OR, and CA Test Area Name % Meat Recovery Required ** Number of pots Date* Meat Recovery % Date* Meat Recovery % Date* Meat Recovery % Date* Meat Recovery % Date* Meat Recovery % Northern 23% n/a NT NT NT NT NT NT NT NT NT NT Westport 23% 54 10/16/25 20.9% 11/11/25 25.0% NT NT NT NT NT NT Long Beach 23% 54 NT NT 11/3/25 21.9% 12/1/25 22.4% 12/13/25 28.1%^ NT NT Astoria (50-A) 23% 36 NT NT 11/9/25 26.4% NT NT NT NT NT NT Garibaldi (50-B) 23% 18 NT NT 11/9/25 27.1% NT NT NT NT NT NT Pacific City (50-C) 23% 18 NT NT NT NT NT NT NT NT Newport North (50-D) 24% 18 NT NT NT NT NT NT NT NT Newport South (50-E and 50-F) 24% 36 NT NT 11/9/25 27.7% NT NT NT NT NT NT Coos Bay North (50-G and 50-H) 24% 36 NT NT 11/9/25 27.4% NT NT NT NT NT NT Coos Bay South (50-I and 50-J) 24% 36 NT NT 11/9/25 27.4% NT NT NT NT NT NT Port Orford (50-K) 24% 18 NT NT 11/9/25 28.7% NT NT NT NT NT NT Brookings (50-L) 24% 18 NT NT 11/9/25 27.5% NT NT NT NT NT NT Crescent City 24% 36 NT NT NT NT NT NT NT NT NT NT Trinidad 24% 36 NT NT NT NT NT NT NT NT NT NT Eureka 24% 36 NT NT NT NT NT NT NT NT NT NT Bodega Bay n/a NT NT NT NT NT NT NT NT NT NT San Francisco n/a NT NT NT NT NT NT NT NT NT NT † Oregon areas 50-C and 50-D unintentionally combined onboard vessel ^ Crabs collected from less than total pots set in Seaview (17/18) test station. Crab retained in vessel hold overnight before offload. ` *Date pots were pulled. **Meat recovery criteria per Tri-State protocol. Percentage meat recovery may not be rounded to meet minimum threshold listed. Test Area Information Round 4Round 3 District 10 (not bound by Tri-State) Washington Optional Early Round Round 1 Round 2 Oregon California 11/9/25 27.5%†