In an effort to reduce the risk of whale entanglements in CA Dungeness crab fishing gear, the California​ ​Dungeness​ ​Crab​ ​Fishing​ ​Gear​ ​Working​ ​Group (Working Group) is requesting help from recreational fishing volunteers to begin collecting fishing dynamics information. This project is being conducted in partnership with the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW), and is designed to help us better understand the relationship between fishing activity and whale distribution.

Volunteers are requested to complete the below questions at the completion of fishing trips conducted during the 2017-18 CA Dungeness crab season. Information can be shared anonymously and no individual data will be made available; it will only be shared with the Working Group in an aggregated resolution.

For more information about this project, please contact Kelly Sayce at info@cawhalegroup.com. Additional details about the Working Group's efforts, including complimentary projects to better understand the dynamics of the commercial fleet, please visit http://www.opc.ca.gov/whale-entanglement-working-group. Thank you for your participation!

Download the 2017-18 Best Practices Guide: http://www.opc.ca.gov/webmaster/_media_library/2016/08/Whales_BestPracticesGuide_2017-18.pdf

Reporting Entangled Whales: Report entangled whales IMMEDIATELY to the NMFS whale entanglement response hotline at 1-877-SOS-WHALe (1-877-767-9425) or hail the U.S. Coast Guard on Channel 16. If possible, stand by for responders.