NEWPORT – The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has implemented a temporary rule effective Wednesday to reduce the risk of humpback whale entanglements in commercial ocean Dungeness crab gear.

Late-season whale entanglement measures include reducing pot limits by 20 percent combined with a 240-foot depth restriction and normally takes place May 1. The change to April 1 is intended to coincide with the migration of humpback whales off the Oregon coast, according to an ODFW news release.

Advisories issued in January and December 2025 said there were three incidents in 2024 and four in 2025, including an entangled juvenile humpback whale that stranded alive near Yachats. In each case, NMFS attributed the entanglements to the Oregon Dungeness crab fishery using established confirmation criteria, including photo and video documentation of the entangling gear and, in some cases, recovery of the gear.

“Since implementation, more recent research has found that exposure to entanglement risk peaks around the month of April,” the ODFW said. “We are taking these actions to reduce risk of whale entanglement in crab gear earlier in the season and move up the initiation of late-season derelict gear recovery efforts.”

Two of the three humpback whale populations found in Oregon waters are listed as endangered or threatened.

The commercial Dungeness crab season can begin as early as Dec. 1 and is open until Aug. 14.