Whale Migration Threatens California Crab Season

The start of the Dungeness crab season in Northern California is being complicated by the annual migration of humpback whales. These massive creatures are traveling through the same waters where crab fishermen set their traps, leading to an increased risk of whales becoming entangled in the ropes connected to the crab pots.

To address this issue, some fishermen are experimenting with new technologies. One promising solution involves a remote-controlled, pop-up buoy system. Instead of using a long rope that stretches from the crab trap on the ocean floor to a buoy on the surface, these systems keep the rope stored on the ocean floor until the fisherman signals it to release.

When the fisherman is ready to retrieve the crab trap, they send a signal to the device, which then releases the rope and inflates a buoy, allowing them to locate and haul in their catch. This reduces the amount of rope floating in the water column, significantly decreasing the chances of a whale becoming entangled. The effectiveness of these systems is still being evaluated, but early results are encouraging, offering a potential path forward for sustainable crabbing practices that protect whales.