CDFW Suspends Commercial Fishing Licenses Of Two Men For Dungeness Crab Violations
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife suspended two commercial fishermen’s licenses after they were determined to commit Dungeness crab violations.
CDFW posted the following on Facebook:
The California Fish and Game Commission has suspended the commercial fishing licenses and permits of two commercial Dungeness Crab fishermen after extensive violations in the Dungeness crab fishery in Del Norte County.
At its Aug. 12-13, 2026, meeting, the Commission – acting on CDFW recommendations – suspended the commercial fishing license for two years and Dungeness crab vessel permits for four years of Darryl Donovan, 66, of Gilroy, and Terry Groat, 60, of Crescent City.
Beginning with a joint patrol with CDFW Marine Enforcement District and U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Humboldt Bay, CDFW wildlife officers began investigating abandoned Dungeness Crab traps off the Klamath River in Del Norte County following the 2023-24 Dungeness crab fishing season. During the investigation, CDFW wildlife officers located large amounts of abandoned Dungeness crab traps belonging to Donovan. Donovan’s violations included abandoning at least 107 Dungeness crab traps, failure to service traps in the required 96 hours, failure to submit mandatory fishing reports and fishing with untagged and improperly marked buoys.
After the 2024-25 commercial Dungeness crab season, wildlife officers also investigated several strings of abandoned Dungeness crab traps belonging to Groat offshore the mouth of the Smith River in Del Norte County. Groat’s violations included abandoning 87 Dungeness crab traps, failure to service traps in the required 96 hours, fishing with untagged buoys, failure to submit mandatory fishing reports,\ and permitting or causing the waste of hundreds of Dungeness crabs.
CDFW emphasizes that compliance with commercial fishing regulations – particularly removing traps at the end of each season – is essential. Those who abandon traps not only endanger marine mammals and other wildlife that can become trapped or entangled in derelict gear, but they can also cause shortened fishing seasons for law-abiding fishers who depend on those opportunities for their livelihood.
