December 7, 2023 Commercial and Recreational Crab Season Delay and Trap Prohibition
Summary
SCH Number
2023120219
Public Agency
California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Marin Region 7
(CDFW)
Document Title
December 7, 2023 Commercial and Recreational Crab Season Delay and Trap Prohibition
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
12/8/2023
Document Description
Season delay in Fishing Zones 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 for the commercial Dungeness crab fishery and a crab trap prohibition in the recreational Dungeness crab fishery in Fishing Zones 3 and 4.
Contact Information
Name
Ryan Bartling
Agency Name
California Department of Fish and Wildlife
Job Title
Senior Environmental Program Supervisor
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Location
Regions
Statewide
Waterways
Statewide coastal waters
Other Information
Statewide coastal waters
Notice of Exemption
Exempt Status
Categorical Exemption
Type, Section or Code
Section 15307 (Class 7); 15308 (Class 8)
Reasons for Exemption
In compliance with CEQA, the Department approved the project relying on the categorical exemptions contained in CEQA Guidelines of Title 14, CCR: Section 15307 (Action by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of Natural Resources) and Section 15308 (Action by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of the Environment). The exemptions apply to agency actions to protect natural resources and the environment, respectively.
The proposed project will delay the season opener for the commercial Dungeness crab fishery and temporarily prohibit the use of recreational crab traps in response to marine life entanglement risk. Lines and buoys of Dungeness crab traps pose a marine life entanglement risk, especially for whales and sea turtles migrating through California waters. The closure will have the overall effect of reducing the entanglement risk by preventing traps from being set in areas of the marine environment where whales and sea turtles are present, and thereby is the proper subject of CEQA’s Class 7 and 8 categorical exemptions.
Attachments
Notice of Exemption
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