Fish and Game Code Section 8276.2(c) provides the Director with the authority to delay the December 1 season opening, due to soft-shell or poor quality crab conditions, in Fish and Game Districts 6, 7, 8 & 9 (Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte Counties) to a date no later than January 15, 2012.

Crab quality tests conducted in northern California on October 22 and November 9, 2011, indicate the crabs would not be ready for harvest on December 1, 2011, and I therefore delayed the opening of the season until December 16, 2011, pending further testing results. Based on tests completed on December 7, 2011, poor quality conditions were still apparent and in the interest of cooperatively managing the interstate Dungeness crab fishery, I am delaying the opening of Dungeness crab season in northern California (Districts 6, 7, 8 and 9) until 12:01 a.m. January 15, 2012.

Pursuant to Fish and Game Code 8276.3(b), the opening date in Districts 6, 7, 8 & 9 shall be preceeded by a 36-hour gear setting period. Therefore, crab geawr may be set no earlier than 12:01 p.m. on January 13, 2012.

As provided in Fish and Game Code Section 8276.3, no vessel may take or land crab within Districts 6, 7, 8 and 9 during the closure period. In addition, Fish and Game Code Section 8279.1 prohibits anyone who landed crab from ocean waters outside of Districts 6, 7, 8 and 9 from participating in the crab fishery in Districts 6, 7, 8 and 9, or any other delayed opening areas in Oregon or Washington, for 30 days following the opening of those areas.

Sincerely,

Charton H. Bonham

Director