Every year, locals eagerly await Dungeness crab season in San Francisco, when crowds flock to the pier to purchase the decadent sea creature right off the boats. In recent years, Dungeness crab season has seen significant delays, and the tradition of a holiday crab in the city has been postponed. This year was no different, but we finally have an official opening date for some limited parts of the Central Coast.
On Friday, December 20th, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced the following opening dates for commercial fishing of Dungeness crab:
- Jan. 5, 2025 – Dungeness crab fishery opens from the Sonoma/Mendocino county line (near Point Arena) down to the U.S./Mexico border. This area will have a 50% trap reduction.
- Jan. 15, 2025 – Dungeness crab fishery opens from the Sonoma/Mendocino county line up to the California/Oregon border. This area will have a 25% trap reduction.
Last year, the commercial crabbing season was delayed until January 18th in central California and January 5th in northern California.
Why is Dungeness crab season delayed?
The coast of California is divided into six zones, with each area being evaluated for the right conditions to allow crabbing. In the areas near Mendocino, Humboldt, and Del Norte counties, crab meat quality tests were unable to be conducted due to high domoic acid and the presence of whales, which posed a risk of entanglement.
For the areas around San Francisco and south of the city (zones three through six), the presence of whales has delayed commercial crabbing due to entanglements that have occurred this year. The delay in crabbing will allow the whales to safely migrate and avoid the risk of entanglements with commercial fisheries.
You can find more information about the 2025 crab season at the California Department of Fish and Wildlife Department website.
Dungeness crab in San Francisco
Dungeness crab has been a San Francisco staple for more than 100 years. Early fishermen would boil the tasty crustaceans in cauldrons at Fisherman’s Wharf. Soon, crab became a staple in San Francisco restaurants and a culinary tradition in the city, particularly around the holidays.
Even with the shortened seasons, California’s Dungeness crab fishery has averaged around $45 million per year over the last five years, which is similar to historical numbers. The value of Dungeness crab was even enough to earn it a new designation as the state crustacean.
When commercial crabbing season does open, we recommend going to Fisherman’s Wharf to purchase the fresh crab right off the boat.
Written by Dana Flynn and Jamie Ferrell