Dungeness Crab regulations

California · Curated reference from cited public sources · listings, not permission to fish or retain a catch · This selected California ocean-sport reference subset is not a complete rulebook.

2026

SPECIES LINKS

Wikipedia · Dungeness Crab ↗

FIELD GUIDE

Metacarcinus magister

speciesBASIC

One of the most important seafood species of the North American west coast, ranging from the Aleutians to Point Conception, California. Named for Dungeness Spit in the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

HABITAT

Eelgrass beds and sandy bottoms.

SIZE

6–7 in wide, males up to 9 in

TEXT CONDENSED FROM WIKIPEDIA, AVAILABLE UNDER CC BY-SA 4.0

SOURCEVERIFIEDCDFW ocean sport fishing regulations ↗CALIFORNIA · SPECIES Dungeness Crab · AUTHORITY California Department of Fish and Wildlife, 2026 California Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations booklet, T14 CCR §29.85 (last updated July 17, 2026) · EFFECTIVE YEAR 2026UPDATED JULY 17, 2026 · CHECKED SEP 22, 2026, 12:00 PM UTC · FRESHNESS ≤ 7 DAYSFreshness contract: checked within 7 days. Still verify the official rule before fishing.The CDFW page is an informational summary; the California Code of Regulations (Title 14) and emergency orders are authoritative.

RULESVERIFIEDCLOSEDListed closedReopens November 7, 2026

Dungeness Crab identification is educational; species identification does not establish legal applicability for California.

SPECIESLISTED SEASON WINDOWSJFMAMJJASONDBAG / LIMITMIN SIZELISTING

Dungeness Crab[confirmed] Official season wording is from the first Saturday in November through June 30 in all other counties, and through July 30 in Del Norte, Humboldt, and Mendocino counties. [inferred] The first Saturday in November 2026 is November 7; the calendar-year windows above retain the nominal June 30 statewide end. Dungeness crab may not be taken from or possessed if taken from San Francisco Bay, San Pablo Bay, or their tidal bays, sloughs, and estuaries between the Golden Gate Bridge and Carquinez Bridge. Minimum size is 5 and three-quarter inches measured by the shortest distance through the body, excluding lateral spines. · Listed season windows: Jan 1, 2026 through Jun 30, 2026 · 10 fish listed · Nov 7, 2026 through Dec 31, 2026 · 10 fish listed——CLOSED

LISTED SEASON WINDOWS: Jan 1, 2026 through Jun 30, 2026 · 10 fish listed
Nov 7, 2026 through Dec 31, 2026 · 10 fish listed
APPLICABILITY: [confirmed] Official season wording is from the first Saturday in November through June 30 in all other counties, and through July 30 in Del Norte, Humboldt, and Mendocino counties. [inferred] The first Saturday in November 2026 is November 7; the calendar-year windows above retain the nominal June 30 statewide end. Dungeness crab may not be taken from or possessed if taken from San Francisco Bay, San Pablo Bay, or their tidal bays, sloughs, and estuaries between the Golden Gate Bridge and Carquinez Bridge. Minimum size is 5 and three-quarter inches measured by the shortest distance through the body, excluding lateral spines.
SOURCE AUTHORITY: California Department of Fish and Wildlife, 2026 California Ocean Sport Fishing Regulations booklet, T14 CCR §29.85 (last updated July 17, 2026)

UPDATED July 17, 2026 · CHECKED Sep 22, 2026, 12:00 PM UTC · EFFECTIVE YEAR 2026

CDFW ocean sport fishing regulations ↗

The CDFW page is an informational summary; the California Code of Regulations (Title 14) and emergency orders are authoritative.

LAUNCH SITES

Curated launch sites in California (29)

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Berkeley Marina

SF Bay Area · MARINA