November 24, 2020 CA Commercial Dungeness Crab Season Delay In Fishing Zones 3-6
Summary
SCH Number
2020110476
Public Agency
California Department of Fish and Wildlife, Marin Region 7
(CDFW)
Document Title
November 24, 2020 CA Commercial Dungeness Crab Season Delay In Fishing Zones 3-6
Document Type
NOE - Notice of Exemption
Received
Posted
11/30/2020
Document Description
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (Department) has taken final action under the Fish and Game Code and Title 14 of the California Code of Regulations with respect to the above-referenced project. On November 24, 2020, the Director of the Department signed a declaration delaying the season opening of the California commercial Dungeness crab fishery south of the Sonoma/Mendocino county line.
For the purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA, Pub. Resources Code, Section 21000 et seq.), the Department approved the project relying on the Class 7 categorical exemption for “Actions by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of Natural Resources” and the Class 8 categorical exemption for “Actions by Regulatory Agencies for Protection of the Environment” contained in CEQA Guideline Sections 15307 and 15308, Title 14, CCR, respectively.
Contact Information
Name
Ryan Bartling
Agency Name
CA Department of Fish and Wildlife
Contact Types
Lead/Public Agency
Phone
Location
Regions
Northern California, Southern California
Other Location Info
south of the Sonoma/Mendocino county line
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 opening of the season of the commercial Dungeness crab fishery in response to marine life entanglement risk. Lines and buoys of Dungeness crab traps pose a marine life entanglement risk, especially for whales migrating through California waters. The closure will have the overall effect of reducing the entanglement risk by preventing traps from being set in the marine environment, and thereby is the proper subject of CEQA’s Class 7 and 8 categorical exemptions.