California’s commercial Dungeness crab season will remain closed in the northern part of the state until at least Jan. 1, 2027, as fishery managers respond to humpback whale entanglements.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced the delay Oct. 30, citing the number of humpback whales entangled in fishing gear this year. The department said postponing the commercial opener will give whales more time to migrate out of California waters before crab gear is deployed.

California regulations require the CDFW director to close the Dungeness crab fishery when three or more humpback whales are found entangled in commercial Dungeness crab gear.

“CDFW remains committed to working collaboratively with all sectors across California to protect whales and turtles from entanglements in fishing gear,” CDFW Director Meghan Hertel said.

The department plans to conduct another risk assessment in mid-December to determine when the commercial fishery can open and when restrictions on crab traps can be lifted.

According to the Center for Biological Diversity, 24 large whales were found entangled in fishing gear off California in 2026, including several endangered humpback whales entangled in commercial and recreational crab gear.

The commercial delay comes as California also places restrictions on recreational crabbing. The recreational Dungeness crab season opens Nov. 7, but crab traps will not be allowed along the Northern California coast until at least Jan. 1. Hoop nets and crab snares are not included in the trap restriction.

Another section of the coast, between Cape Mendocino and the Ten Mile State Marine Reserve north of Fort Bragg, will remain closed to recreational Dungeness crab fishing because crabs have been found with unhealthy levels of domoic acid, a neurotoxin associated with harmful algal blooms.

California’s commercial Dungeness crab season has faced delays or shortened seasons for much of the past decade because of whale entanglement risks and domoic acid concerns.

With California’s commercial fishery delayed and Oregon still conducting preseason testing, Dungeness crab available in California during the holidays will likely come from fisheries farther north, including Washington. The Sacramento Bee reported that tighter supply and transportation costs could also push California crab prices higher this holiday season.