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Crab for New Year's: California opens up commercial fishing

Dungeness Crab California
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SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — There will be more Dungeness crab on the market just in time for New Year’s menus.

California’s Department of Fish and Wildlife announced Wednesday that the commercial crab fishing season in coastal areas around San Francisco will begin Dec. 29, the Mercury News reported.

The decision applies to the waters off Sonoma, Marin, San Francisco and San Mateo counties.

Dungeness Crab California
FILE - In this Nov. 16, 2018, file photo, fresh Dungeness crabs fill a tank at the Alioto-Lazio Fish Company at Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File)

Since 2015, all but one commercial Dungeness season has been delayed either because of the existence of domoic acid in the crabs or fishing line danger to whales.

The latest surveys found that the majority of whales have now moved out of the region and are on their way to winter breeding grounds in Mexico and Central America.