LawWiki
HomeCodesSearchGlossaryAPIAbout
LawWiki

Plain English summaries of California law with zero-hallucination AI. Every summary is verified against official source text.

Product

  • Search
  • Codes
  • About

Legal

  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • Disclaimer

© 2026 LawWiki. All rights reserved.

HomeFish and Game CodeDiv. 6Pt. 3Ch. 2Art. 6§ 8284 Commercial Crab Trap Regulations

§ 8284 Commercial Crab Trap Regulations

Fish and Game Code·California
AI Summary·Official Text·Key Terms·Related Statutes·References
AI SummaryVerified

§ 8284 Commercial Crab Trap Regulations

Key Takeaways

  • •You can use crab traps to catch Dungeness crab for selling, but other fish caught by accident must be let go.
  • •If you're catching rock crab, you have to release any other sea creatures right away, unless you have a special permit.
  • •With a permit in certain areas, you can keep some extra sea creatures like whelk, octopus, or other crabs (but not Dungeness crab).

Example

A fisherman sets up crab traps to catch Dungeness crab to sell at the market.

If he accidentally catches a fish or another type of crab, he must let it go back into the water. But if he has a special permit in the right area, he can keep things like octopus or other crabs that aren’t Dungeness crab.

AI-generated — May contain errors. Not legal advice. Always verify source.

Official Source
View on CA.gov

§ 8284 Commercial Crab Trap Regulations

(a) Subject to this article and Article 1 (commencing with Section 9000) of Chapter 4, crab traps, as described in Section 9011, may be used to take Dungeness crab for commercial purposes. Any fish may be taken incidentally in crab traps being used to take Dungeness crab. (b) Except as provided in Section 9011 or subdivision (c), any other species taken incidentally in a crab trap being used to take rock crab, shall be immediately released back to the water. (c) The following species may be taken incidentally in crab traps being used to take rock crab under a permit issued pursuant to Section 9001 in Districts 19 and 118.5: (1) Kellet’s whelk. (2) Octopus. (3) Crabs other than of the genus Cancer, except as provided in Section 9011. (Amended by Stats. 2009, Ch. 478, Sec. 1. (AB 825) Effective January 1, 2010.)

Last verified: January 23, 2026

Key Terms

accidentreleasefishing

Related Statutes

  • § 8183 Humboldt Bay Anchovy Limits
  • § 8276 Dungeness Crab Fishing Seasons
  • § 8276.2 Dungeness Crab Fishery Delay
  • § 8276.3 Dungeness Crab Season Delays
  • § 8276.4 Dungeness Crab Task Force

References

  • Official text at leginfo.legislature.ca.gov
  • California Legislature. Fish and Game Code. Section 8284.
View Official Source