OAKLAND, Calif.— The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has released preliminary data showing that nine endangered humpback whales were reported to be entangled in fishing gear off California so far this year, gear that may be from the recreational and commercial Dungeness crab fishery. Four of the entanglements are confirmed to be from Dungeness crab gear, and the source of five is currently unknown.

A total of at least 24 large whales, most of them humpbacks, have been confirmed entangled in all types of fishing gear off California in 2026. Several new entanglements are pending review. Scientists estimate actual entanglements could be five times these numbers because many are not seen and reported.

“California knows it has a serious entanglement problem and officials know how to solve it, yet year after year whales continue to suffer in fishing gear,” said Ben Grundy-Hawley, oceans campaigner at the Center for Biological Diversity. “With a deadly maze of ropes in the water, entanglements will continue unless the state takes action. These entanglements can be prevented by using pop-up fishing gear, yet California keeps holding back full-season approval.”

The California Fish and Wildlife director will decide in the coming days how to manage the fishery to reduce whale entanglements. The agency has recommended delaying the opening of the crab fishery until at least Jan. 1.

In spring 2026 the department for the first time authorized use of pop-up fishing gear in the commercial Dungeness crab fishery but only after April 1 and only in certain fishing zones. The alternative gear minimizes the amount of time that untended vertical fishing lines are in the water. At least 29 crabbers used pop-up gear this spring and summer, catching almost $1.2 million worth of crab.

El Niño conditions and a marine heat wave off the Pacific Coast may be pushing humpbacks into smaller areas near fishing zones as they seek out food, worsening entanglements. The 24 whale entanglements reported so far this year compares to 20 entanglements in 2025.

Entanglements may cause starvation, infections, amputations and slow painful deaths, as well as reduce a whale’s ability to reproduce, further impeding recovery. Each entanglement of a whale violates federal law.