Dungeness crab season has officially kicked off in California after a two-month delay.
November 2024 marked the sixth year commercial fishing for these crabs was delayed. The decision was made to protect migrating humpback whales from potentially becoming entangled in the crab traps.
“We’ve had a very slow start here in Morro Bay, which can be typical," said Mark Tognazzini, owner of Tognazzini’s Dockside Restaurant and Fish Market in Morro Bay. "We have big years sometimes and slow years other times.”
He says the delay has affected fishermen and businesses.
“Very traditional for families in California to eat crab and do big crab dinners at Thanksgiving and Christmas, so we’ve missed those opportunities,” Tognazzini said.
KSBY News reporter Sophia Villalba spoke with several other fishermen along the Embarcadero who didn’t want to speak on camera but said the delays have impacted them with some not fishing for crab at all this season because there’s just not an abundance of them here at this time of year.
The commercial Dungeness season is typically open through June, but Tognazzini adds that with a limited season, you can expect to pay more this year for crab.
