The Ocean Protection Council (OPC) and California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) carry out Dungeness Crab Task Force (DCTF) commercial fishing elections as described in Fish and Game Code Section 8276.4. Commercial fishermen are elected to the DCTF by their peers to represent their home port complexes and production level. DCTF elections are held every three years in each port on a staggered basis across ports. The following port complexes are up for election in 2025:

• Crescent City
• Trinidad 
• Fort Bragg
• San Francisco
• South of Half Moon Bay 

CDFW and OPC have recently sent DCTF commercial fishing election materials to all Dungeness crab permit holders. DCTF election materials are also available on OPC’s DCTF Members webpage. This first mailing includes a call for nominations for members from the port complexes listed above. All permitholders can provide nominations by completing a nomination form by Friday, April 11, 2025, to inform the DCTF commercial fishing ballots. Instructions on how to submit nominations are located on the nomination form (Word .docx). Alternatively, you may also submit nominations via this electronic nomination form. For more background information on the DCTF, please see this infographic. More details regarding the election process are provided in this FAQ document.  

For questions, contact Katie Cieri (Katie.Cieri@resources.ca.gov; OPC) or Christy Juhasz (christy.juhasz@wildlife.ca.gov; CDFW Marine Region, 707-292-2480)

Call for Nominations: DCTF Non-Commercial Fishing Representatives

OPC is seeking nominations for the following non-commercial fishing representatives on the DCTF:

• One voting (1) and one nonvoting (1) member representing sport fishing interests
• One voting (1) member representing crab processing interests
• One voting (1) member representing nongovernmental organization interests

If you are interested in representing sport fishing, crab processing, or nongovernmental organization interests on the DCTF, please complete this online nomination form by Friday, April 11, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. Final recommendations for appointment will be based on experience and knowledge of the Dungeness crab fishery, experience with the DCTF, geographical balance, willingness and ability to effectively and respectfully collaborate among diverse perspectives, willingness and ability to represent others within their representative seat, and ability to consistently participate in DCTF meetings. OPC staff may contact nominees for brief interviews if needed.

The DCTF is a legislatively-mandated advisory body that reviews and evaluates Dungeness crab fishery management measures and provides recommendations to CDFW, the Joint Committee on Fisheries and Aquaculture (JCFA), and the Fish and Game Commission (FGC). In addition to the members being solicited in this announcement, the composition of the DCTF, as described in Fish and Game Code Section 8276.4, includes 17 commercial Dungeness crab fishermen. There is also one non-voting representative from California Sea Grant and two non-voting representatives from CDFW.

Full Call for Nominations
Online Nomination Form

Additional information regarding the DCTF is available on the DCTF website and this infographic. For questions about DCTF non-commercial fishing appointments, contact Katie Cieri (Katie.Cieri@resources.ca.gov; OPC).

Learn more about DCTF: