San Francisco tech billionaire pushes to restore Dungeness crab season for Thanksgiving

A San Francisco tech billionaire is leading an effort to bring back local crab in time for Thanksgiving, arguing the issue is about more than tradition. He said it's also about supporting struggling fishermen and finding a better balance with marine life protections.

Chris Larsen, co-founder of Ripple and head of the Clean Break Fund, is pushing for changes to the way California manages its commercial Dungeness crab season. In recent years, the season has been delayed from its traditional mid-November start to as late as January in an effort to reduce whale entanglements, cutting into what fishermen say is their most profitable time of year.

For fishermen like Casey Crowl, the shorter season has taken a toll.

"It's a reduction. It means that you've got to just work that much harder," Crowl said.

What was once a six-to eight-month season is now compressed to about four months, with this year's season ending on April 30 for fishermen who use conventional equipment.  Fishermen can continue crabbing through June 30 by using newly approved, whale-safe pop-up gear.

Missing the holiday demand window has significant financial consequences for the industry.  Larsen said the timing of the season is critical not just culturally, but economically.

"They're missing the critical November, December season, which is also super important for San Franciscans that enjoy that for Thanksgiving and Christmas," Larsen said. "From an economic point of view, that's 90% of the season, 90% of the revenue.  It's when all the demand is. That's when the crabs are out there. And we've missed that now for six years in a row."

Larsen has brought the issue to South Bay congressmen Sam Liccardo and Ro Khanna, who are now co-sponsoring a whale protection bill. The proposal would establish a whale monitoring desk at the San Francisco Coast Guard station to provide real-time tracking of migrating whales, allowing fishermen to avoid high-risk areas.

"I think we've got to try some of the drone technology. If we can spot... 'Hey, here's a whale. Hey crabbers, stay away from this area while these whales are coming by,'" Larsen said.

If the legislation fails, Larsen said he is prepared to fund a legal challenge to current regulations.

"When November 15th comes, we want to see these boats out there. We want to see the whales protected. We can absolutely do both," he said.

But marine conservation experts caution that the issue is more complex.

"When we had the fishery open in those late fall months in November, December, those years we saw a lot of entanglements happen, and so the closures have been put in place to reduce the entanglements," said Geoff Shester PhD, Oceana's senior scientist and fishery innovation director.

State regulators have begun allowing the use of pop-up, or ropeless, fishing gear to help extend the season while reducing risks to whales. But some fishermen said newer pop-up gear is not a viable option for everyone, particularly those with smaller boats or limited crew, leaving them reliant on traditional equipment and vulnerable to ongoing restrictions. Shester said broader collaboration and innovation will be necessary.

"We haven't gotten a chance to talk with Mr. Larsen yet. I think we, and a number of folks who have been innovating, would be very excited to have a conversation about taking that to the next step, because ultimately, I miss having crab at Thanksgiving too," he said.

Many fishermen said they support efforts to protect whales but also want to preserve their livelihoods.

"We have to fight back through the legal system. And as independent fishermen, that's very difficult. It's hard to get everybody organized. So, we're happy to get the help," said John Barnett, president of the San Francisco Crab Boat Owners Association.

Larsen echoed that frustration.

"Beyond frustrating. It really was just grossly unfair to some of the least politically powerful people you'll ever find," he said.

Crowl said he hopes a compromise can be reached soon.

"We've got to keep persevering and moving forward," he said.