California’s Dungeness Season Started Officially Dec. 31 (But There are Crabbing Caveats)

Humpback whales and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife have teamed up to deliver a new year’s gift to the state’s Dungeness crab lovers.

The state’s crab season can begin Dec. 31, officials announced late Thursday afternoon, now that many of the migrating behemoths of the sea have safely made their way down the coast. The decision comes after a series of delays.

But there are restrictions to protect those whales that are still heading south from getting entangled in fishing gear. And negotiations over prices still to start. That means the first taste of California crab for Bay Area foodies may come from Mendocino or farther north, with the real local stuff not in markets and restaurants until January.

To read the rest of the story, please go to: Mendocino Beacon