The state’s Department of Fish and Wildlife said in a statement the closure is meant to reduce entanglement risk to the whales as they forage off the Golden State’s coast.

One minute to go until the start of Dungeness crab season. In the pitch black sea, Day’s radiant orange buoys bob with the promise of a payday. In total, he has set out 250 crab traps.

But whales and the California Dungeness crab fishery are both in crisis. Whales are entangled in the lines and buoys of crab fishing gear in alarming numbers. Thirty-six whales were confirmed ...

“Unfortunately, it has been six years we've been delayed or closed early for whales,” said Brand Little, a San Francisco Dungeness crab fisherman who is among those participating in the pilot ...

The closure was ordered by the state due to the higher concentration of humpback whales feeding offshore. California officials will further restrict commercial and recreational Dungeness crab ...

A Humpback whale swims off the coast of San Diego, California, in 2022, entangled with the lines of two commercial Dungeness crab traps. The line is deeply embedded in the flesh of the whale. (Photo ...