Whales Linger, Bodega Crab Fleet to Delay Opener

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With an aerial whale survey Monday spotting a large group of humpback whales feeding off Point Reyes, fishermen in Bodega Bay have voted to push their Dungeness crabbing season back for a few more days.

A flyover Monday found up to 86 humpback whales gathered just offshore feeding on anchovies, and local fishermen decided to hold off for a bit to allow the whales to continue their migration south.

Under strict state rules, any whale entanglement issues could restrict or shutdown the crab season prematurely, causing a huge economic hit for central coast crabbers.

The kickoff of Dungeness crab season had already been pushed back for a week to November 22nd, out of concern about whales still lingering off the California coast. During the fall, humpback whales migrate from Alaskan waters south to winter calving grounds in Mexico.

Meantime, other issues have cropped up. Tests showing the dangerous neurotoxin domoic acid in crab collected near Bolinas could delay the opening from Pt. Reyes to Half Moon Bay, and low crab weights to the north have aleady pushed back the opening of the season north of the Mendocino County line to December 16th.

Bodega Bay fishermen hope crab fleets to the north will also hold off for a few days past the official November 22nd opening off the Sonoma Coast, so that waters will not become overly crowded with boats.

The Thanksgiving holiday and the period through Christmas is traditionally prime time for crabbing along the Sonoma coast and adjacent fisheries, as demand is at its highest, and fishermen earn the majority of their winter wages supplying crab for holiday tables.