The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is seeking nominations for representatives to serve on the California Dungeness Crab Fishing Gear Working Group (Working Group), beginning October 1, 2023. Nominations are sought to represent the following Fishing Zones and/or sectors:
- San Francisco Bay area (Fishing Zone 3) commercial Dungeness crab fishery to participate as a member and to represent the commercial fishery during working group discussions.
- Santa Cruz area (Fishing Zone 4) commercial Dungeness crab fishery to participate as a member and to represent the commercial fishery during working group discussions.
- Commercial Dungeness crab processor based in California to participate as a member and to represent the processing sector during working group discussions.
- Fishing industry representative to participate as a member and to represent gear innovation (g. on-demand systems, long lining, trap modifications etc.) during working group discussions.
Convened in 2015 as a result of increased numbers of large whale entanglements, the Working Group works in cooperation with staff from the CDFW, National Marine Fisheries Service, the CA Ocean Protection Council, and the United States Coast Guard to reduce the risk of whale entanglements in California Dungeness crab fishing gear and support a thriving and profitable Dungeness crab fishery.
To learn more about the Working Group and submit an application, please refer to the Call for Nominations document. For additional questions, please email whalesafefisheries@wildlife.ca.gov.
