Lack of meat delays Dungeness crab season north of Sonoma County

The amount of Dungeness crab meat found on shellfish in parts of the North Coast has led to a two-week delay in the commercial fishing season north of Sonoma County, with state officials now eyeing a Dec. 16 start.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced Friday that the ratio of crab meat compared to the overall weight of the crab was not at the 25% threshold required to authorize harvest for one of the most vital sources of income for West Coast fishermen and women.

The moratorium will stall crabbers in Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte counties where the majority of California Dungeness crab is caught. According to Fish and Wildlife data, fisheries in Eureka and Fort Bragg last season accounted for roughly 14.5 million pounds, more than three-quarters of the state’s total haul.

Preseason test results showed the percentage of meat was less than 23% in state waters north of the Mendocino County line, indicating the crabs would not be ready for harvest by the typical Dec. 1 start date, according to Fish and Wildlife officials.

Another round of testing is tentatively scheduled for Dec. 1, according to a news release.

If crab quality does not improve, state Fish and Wildlife Director Chuck Bonham can push back the season in 15-day increments two more times. After that, the season is required to start Jan. 15, which has been the case each of the last two years.

Commercial harvest in fisheries off the Sonoma and Central coasts is scheduled to begin Friday following a weeklong delay to allow endangered humpback and blue whales extra time to leave the coastal waters before crabbers deploy any gear that could put them at risk of entanglement.

You can reach Staff Writer Yousef Baig at 707-521-5390 or yousef.baig@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @YousefBaig.?