California officers found 194 abandoned Dungeness crab traps off two rivers; violations wasted...

Two commercial fishermen have had their licences suspended and vessel permits revoked for four years after wildlife officers recovered 194 abandoned Dungeness crab traps from waters off the Del Norte County coast. The enforcement action, finalised during an August meeting of the California Fish and Game Commission, involved 66-year-old Darryl Donovan of Gilroy and 60-year-old Terry Groat of Crescent City. The two men were investigated over abandoned commercial fishing gear found in Northern California waters during two consecutive fishing seasons. According to reporting by Patch, state wildlife officials recommended the penalties after finding serious violations. The abandoned equipment had resulted in hundreds of Dungeness crabs being wasted and also created entanglement risks for marine wildlife. The investigation involved joint air and sea patrols carried out by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife's Marine Enforcement District and crews from the United States Coast Guard Air Station Humboldt Bay.Patrols find hundreds of abandoned trapsThe first investigation focused on waters near the mouth of the Klamath River after the 2023-24 commercial Dungeness crab season ended....