Crab Season Opens November 6
All around Bodega Bay, the crab pots are piling up and the marker buoys are being touched up with bright colors.
Recreational Dungeness crab season opens Saturday, November 6th and the outlook is hopeful.
According to California Department of Fish and Game’s Senior Marine Biologist Pete Kalvass, “Crab abundance is cyclical and if the size of last year’s commercial catch is a good indicator…this could be good news for recreational crabbers as it might mean a satisfying season is ahead.”
An article on the USA Fishing website agrees that “the good news is that even for a short soak ETHICAL anglers should see easy limits of big crabs so long as the weather is good.”
The accent on “ethical” anglers refers to those who are not acting as “pirates,” stealing pots and/or raiding filled pots to take the crabs caught by someone else.
“Catch and gear theft has and continues to be a huge problem in Bodega Bay…”
The opening date for the commercial season remains undetermined at this time.
Bridget Kurz at Spud Point Marina says that, “First Fish and Game sends out local fishermen like Steve Anello to determine hardness of the shell and estimate the number of legal-sized crabs.”
Once this information has been gathered, it is then up to Fish and Game to name the start date. “November 15th is the date being mentioned by some,” she says.
The final step, Kurz explains, is the price negotiations between the commercial crabbers and the market buyers.
Some years, when what the fishermen consider a fair price is not being offered, there have been strikes called until an agreement is reached.
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