CA Tanner Crab Pot Fishery - MMPA List of Fisheries

Current Classification on the List of Fisheries

^ Number of participants estimates are based on state and federal fisheries permit data.  The estimated number of participants is expressed in terms of the number of active participants in the fishery, when possible.  If this information is not available, the estimated number of vessels or persons licensed for a particular fishery is provided. If no recent information is available on the number of participants, then the number from the most recent LOF is used.  NOAA Fisheries acknowledges that, in some cases, these estimations may be inflating actual effort.

*Observer coverage levels include the latest information reported in the most current final Stock Assessment Report (SAR).

¹ Indicates the stock or species is driving the classification of the fishery.

Basis for Current Classification

Classified as a Category III fishery based on the lack of documented mortality or serious injuries of marine mammals based on the available data.

Distribution

Tanner crab can only be taken by traps set in waters deeper than 300 fathoms. Relatively few permits have been obtained since the inception of this fishery with effort occurring in northern California out of Eureka and Crescent City.

Gear Description

Tanner crab pots/traps are larger (up to 10 ft x 10 ft), with a depth of no more than 42 inches. The traps consist either of 3 mm polyethylene web or vinyl-coated steel wire with at least three openings of 4.5 inches inside diameter on the sides and upper panel of the trap, to allow undersized crabs to escape. Up to 480 traps can be used per permitted vessel, with a maximum of 80 traps used per a single string. Every string of traps is marked with a buoy on each end, and each buoy is marked with the vessel's commercial boat registration number preceded by the letters “TC”. Traps are also required to have a destruct device that creates an opening on any sidewall or on the top of the trap that measures at least 11 inches taken at its smallest inside diameter.

Management

An open access Tanner crab trap vessel permit was established in California in 2006. In addition to having a commercial fishing license, participants are also required to have a general trap permit when taking Tanner crab. There is a 5-inch minimum carapace size limit, and measuring devices should be present on the vessel at all times. Only males are allowed to be retained. There is no seasonal restriction, however there is a cumulative trip limit for each permitted vessel of 250,000 lbs. of whole crab over each 2-month period and an annual catch limit for the fishery of 2 million pounds for the period from April 1 to March 31 of the following year. When the limit is close to being reached, the State can give notice of at least 10 days before the closure. No finfish other than sablefish, are allowed to be retained under the Tanner crab permit. An incidental catch limit of five percent or less landed catch by weight may be comprised of other invertebrates including crab that are not Dungeness or rock crabs. When conducting fishery operations, a California Department of Fish and Wildlife- approved observer is required to be onboard the vessel. Fishery operations commence when a trap is deployed in this fishery. Logbooks are also required when participating in this fishery.

Historical Information