Today the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) Director Charlton H. Bonham lifted the commercial spiny lobster fishery closure in state waters around the northeast side of Santa Cruz Island and the south side of Anacapa Island as recommended by state health agencies. According to the notice from the Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment, sampling of spiny lobster and analysis of samples by California Department of Public Health (CDPH) laboratories indicates that consumption of spiny lobster taken from this area no longer poses a significant threat for domoic acid exposure. The commercial spiny lobster fishery is now open statewide and CDPH lifted the recreational fishery consumption warning for the area.

On Oct. 24, 2017, state health agencies determined that spiny lobster in waters around Anacapa Island, Ventura County and the east end of Santa Cruz Island, Santa Barbara County had unhealthy levels of domoic acid and recommended closure of the commercial fishery in this area.

For more information, please see:

Memo from Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (1/25/18)

CDFW Declaration (1/25/18)

CDFW information about Health Advisories and Closures for California Finfish, Shellfish and Crustaceans