More Delays To Dungeness Crab Season In California

Crab season delays have become commonplace in the state, and after the California Department of Fish and Wildlife first announced a Dec. 23 commercial opener, another delay is imminent due to a disagreement on market prices. Here’s more from the San Jose Mercury News:

The original delay by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife in mid-November was to protect migrating whales from getting entangled in fishing lines.

This time, it’s a price war that is putting the season on hold. And with discussions and negotiations still unfolding, it’s unclear when you’ll be able to find Dungeness crab at your local grocery store or fish market, says Max Boland, general manager of Safe Coast Seafoods, a crab supplier on San Francisco’s Pier 45.

“There’s a large seafood processing company that wants to offer crabbers in the mid-$2 range per pound wholesale,” Boland says. “The fishermen are asking for something in the mid-$3 range.”