Central Coast Crab Season To Begin Early January With Whale-Safety Limits

MONTEREY, Calif. — Dungeness crab season will open on the Central Coast near the start of the new year.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced that the commercial Dungeness crab fishery will open on Jan. 5, 2026, for central California Zones 3, 4 and 5. This includes the coast from just south of Point Arena down past Morro Bay.

The fishery will open with a 40% gear reduction to minimize the risk of whale entanglements in crab lines.

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