Season shutting down May 15 to protect whales

In an emergency action to protect whales from entanglement with commercial crab lines, California Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Chuck Bonham said Thursday he would close commercial Dungeness crab fishing on May 15 on the California coast.

Commercial crab fishing poses “a significant risk of marine life entanglement,” Bonham said. Whales can get caught in the lines that run from surface buoy markers to the bottom of the ocean to the crab pots.

The closure will take effect at 11:59 p.m. on May 15 and shut down the Dungeness crab fishery starting at the southern boundary of Mendocino County and extending south through the critical area of concern, the Gulf of the Farallones, to the CaliforniaMexico border.

Entanglements are rare, but many in the CDFW believe the loss of even one whale is a violation of the Endangered Species Act under a subgroup of humpback whales.

The commercial fishing industry objected that its season would be ended.

“There have been no confirmed interactions between commercial Dungeness crab gear and any whales during the current crab season,” said Ben Platt, president of the California Coast Crab Association. “The risk of crab fishing gear harming endangered whales is statistically insignificant because of low concentrations of whales, as well as the relatively small amounts of gear being deployed along the Central California coast.”

According to the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration, 46 whales were entangled in 2018 on the

Pacific Coast. Prior to 2014, NOAA said the average number was less than 10. NOAA has estimated there are 18,000 to 20,000 humpbacks in the Pacific Ocean.

Bonham said he would work with the California Dungeness Crab Fishing Gear Working Group “to review scientific information and advise efforts to minimize the

“Today’s decision provides additional time on the water while balancing the need to protect whales and turtles.”

Chuck Bonham, California Department of Fish and Wildlife director

risk of whale and sea turtle entanglements.”

“Today’s decision provides additional time on the water while balancing the need to protect whales and turtles,” Bonham said in a statement. “Further, we will continue to explore options to assist commercial fishermen regarding federal funds earmarked for fisheries and aquaculture in the Coronavirus Aid Relief and Economic Security Act.”

Gabrielle Lurie / The Chronicle 2019 Fisherman Jake Wilson hauls a bucket of Dungeness crab ashore at Fisherman's Wharf on Pier 45 in S.F. in December. Commercial crab fishing will end on May 15 off the Bay Area coast to protect whales, which can become entangled in the lines.