CDFW has approved, for the first time, the use of innovative pop-up gear as an “alternative gear” to catch Dungeness crab off California beginning in the spring of 2026. Commercial crabbers can now use pop-up gear to continue fishing during fishery closures each season between April 1 and July 15. This will protect wildlife like endangered humpback whales from entanglements in vertical lines used with conventional crab fishing gear. 

Governor Newsom signed into law AB 1056 by Assemblymember Steve Bennett (D-Ventura). The bill—sponsored by Oceana and Resource Renewal Institute (RRI)—protects ocean biodiversity off California’s shores by phasing out the use of set gillnets—mile-long nets anchored to the seafloor to catch California halibut and white sea bass. By removing this gear, the law will protect more than 100 different ocean animals that become entangled in these nearly invisible nets.

On July 21, 2025, we joined a coalition of environmental organizations in sending a letter to Congress strongly opposing the proposed rewriting of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) introduced by Rep. Begich (R-AK). This bill threatens to unravel one of the most successful conservation policies in U.S. history.

RRI and 40 marine groups oppose reconciliation bill mandating 30 offshore lease sales while gutting NOAA funding and weakening marine wildlife protections.

RRI joins a powerful coalition of over 70 environmental organizations defending landmark protections for more than 625 million acres of public waters from new offshore oil and gas drilling. This historic action safeguards critical coastal areas while protecting marine ecosystems and the millions of jobs that depend on healthy oceans.

RRI joined forces with over 20 organizations and businesses in submitting a public comment to the California Fish and Game Commission, urging them to implement robust measures to reduce bycatch and mortality in the Southern California set gillnet fishery.

RRI recently launched our inaugural marine biodiversity protection project, The 64% Solution: The Campaign to End Avoidable Bycatch, an initiative to protect the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary from set gillnet fishing.