2020 Dungeness Crab Season coming soon!

This time of year, Californians eagerly await Dungeness Crab season. It’s become a holiday tradition for many to feature crab in their holiday meal, while restaurants offer cracked crab, crab cakes, crab benedict and more on their menus. 

For the past few years, the season has been delayed, postponed or has ended early for various reasons. Between 2015 and 2017, California’s Dungeness and Rock Crab fisheries were impacted by algal booms that spurred closures to protect public health. These closures not only delayed the season, but had a large financial and social impact on fishing communities.

In 2019, the Dungeness Crab season was ended 3 months early by fisheries managers to protect migrating whales from potential entanglements in fishing gear. In past years, the season has also been delayed to be sure crab is of the highest quality (ie, that they’re full of meat!) before opening the season to commercial fishermen. Whenever a season is delayed or ends early, it is difficult for fishermen, who are heavily invested in permits and crab fishing gear. Some are forced to retool their boats and (if they can) focus on catching other species. 

Citing climate change, changes in migration and other pressures, fisheries biologists have observed migrating whales venturing closer to shore and coming in contact with crab pot lines and other fishing gear in recent years. So, as a precautionary measure, they’ve delayed the 2020 Commercial crab season until December 23rd. In Oregon and Washington, similar delays have been announced.

Our local commercial crab fishermen have been working closely with regulators and conservationists to ensure their gear is whale-safe—they are now anxiously awaiting a safe opening date, so they can start fishing and earning their living in a fishery that, for many, represents a large part of their annual income.

If you take a trip down to the docks, you’ll see crab pots stacked en masse: fishermen are ready for the first opportunity to take a trip out to set their pots and catch some delicious crab for your dinner table. 

Support Local Fishermen:

If you see Dungeness crab at a grocery store or fish market before the season opens, it’s likely been shipped in from Canada, or previously frozen from the end of last season’s harvest. Part of eating locally and seasonally, is waiting for the best, highest quality food - along with the people who harvest it.

You can support local fishermen by referencing our Seasonality Guide and asking for local seafood at your CSF, Fish Market or Grocery Store. Check our out Local Catch Guide to find businesses offering local seafood near you. When you get your first bite of this season’s Dungeness Crab when it’s available, it’ll taste that much better!