This year’s California Dungeness crab season will end on April 15th, some three months earlier than usual, part of a plan to protect whales and sea turtles from becoming entangled in fishing gear.
The move settles a two-year-old lawsuit in which the Center for Biological Diversity sought protections for the endangered mammals and leatherback sea turtles. The group sued California claiming the state has not done enough to protect humpback and blue whales as well as the leatherbacks from becoming entangled in crabbing equipment.
In 2018, the Dungeness crab industry was valued at $69.7 million. The early closure is expected to cost millions in lost catch this year.
The settlement also requires the 2020 season to close April 1st. Some areas could close even earlier if large numbers of whales are spotted in a particular area.
