Okay, yes — technically this is a fishing article. But let’s be honest, we’re all just excited to get our hands on some fresh, sweet rock crab again. After nearly a decade of closures, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has announced that commercial rock crab fishing is back open from the California-Oregon border down to the north jetty of Humboldt Bay. That’s right — bring on the butter, the bibs, and the big ol’ crab pots.
The closure, first enacted in 2015, came during the worst domoic acid outbreak ever recorded on the West Coast. The harmful toxin, produced by algal blooms, made rock crab unsafe to eat and led to a series of emergency rulemakings. Even after the bloom passed, the fishery couldn’t reopen until long-term testing confirmed the crab were toxin-free. Now, thanks to years of careful monitoring — and some helpful samples provided by persistent fishermen — this long-quiet stretch of Northern California coast is finally ready to get back to business.
Historically, commercial rock crab landings in this northern zone were pretty minimal — just 365 pounds total in the five years before the 2015 closure. But that might be about to change. Renewed interest in the fishery, likely fueled by both market demand and the simple joy of cracking into a claw with friends, has driven sampling efforts and opened the door for this latest green light.
That said, CDFW isn’t just flipping the “open” sign without conditions. Fishermen are being reminded to keep whale safety top of mind — avoiding gear deployment when whales are present, minimizing floating lines, and keeping those vertical lines tight to reduce entanglement risks.
There’s still one section of coastline — from the Mendocino/Humboldt County line to Cape Mendocino — that remains closed, but this latest reopening marks a big step in the right direction for both the fishery and our collective seafood cravings.
For those keeping tabs on crab safety (and we all should), the California Department of Public Health continues to post domoic acid testing results and shellfish advisories online. It’s a great resource to check before loading up your traps — or your dinner plate.
So yes, we’ll call this a fisheries management update. But if we’re being honest, we’re just stoked to see crab on the menu again.
