Crab Opening Delay

Is it me, or does it seam like _every_ year there is some drama around the crab opener and that "fresh crab for Thanksgiving".  I don't recall all the reasons, but I feel like every single year there is some news report like this, possibly to drive up demand?

It's good sensationalism.  Sensationalism is a lot easier than quality journalism... all part of the race to the bottom for local news.  Meanwhile, I'd be willing to bet the majority of consumers have no idea if the crab they're buying was shipped down from Alaska or was caught locally. 

Is it me, or does it seam like _every_ year there is some drama around the crab opener and that "fresh crab for Thanksgiving".  I don't recall all the reasons, but I feel like every single year there is some news report like this, possibly to drive up demand?

In the past it’s been delays due to agreed price that the processors are willing to pay crabbers, domoic acid levels, I believe there may have been self imposed commercial delays surrounding soft shell/molting and now whale entanglements.

IMO it’s now a concerted effort to eliminate the fishery for the majority of commercial and recreational fisherman.  These whale entanglement issues are gonna grow, the more whales we have the higher the likelihood that we’ll have whales in our zone every year.  It’ll repeat every year until nobody expects crab for thanksgiving…..when participation levers drop far enough we’ll get the death blow of these rope less trap requirements. 

I think the desire for local crab is underestimated.  The commercial docks in half moon bay get flooded with peeps there for the experience of buying live off the boats.  I’ve found it easier and sometimes more cost effective to just get them straight from the commercial boats.  There is also a taste difference between crabs straight out the sea and those sitting in tanks for a couple weeks…..it won’t take long for the local crabbers to start promoting that to foodies. 

Is it me, or does it seam like _every_ year there is some drama around the crab opener and that "fresh crab for Thanksgiving".  I don't recall all the reasons, but I feel like every single year there is some news report like this, possibly to drive up demand?

In the past it’s been delays due to agreed price that the processors are willing to pay crabbers, domoic acid levels, I believe there may have been self imposed commercial delays surrounding soft shell/molting and now whale entanglements.

IMO it’s now a concerted effort to eliminate the fishery for the majority of commercial and recreational fisherman.  These whale entanglement issues are gonna grow, the more whales we have the higher the likelihood that we’ll have whales in our zone every year.  It’ll repeat every year until nobody expects crab for thanksgiving…..when participation levers drop far enough we’ll get the death blow of these rope less trap requirements. 

I think the desire for local crab is underestimated.  The commercial docks in half moon bay get flooded with peeps there for the experience of buying live off the boats.  I’ve found it easier and sometimes more cost effective to just get them straight from the commercial boats.  There is also a taste difference between crabs straight out the sea and those sitting in tanks for a couple weeks…..it won’t take long for the local crabbers to start promoting that to foodies.

It seems the weather report is also against recreational crabbing.  My how it keeps changing it's mind 

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It seems the weather report is also against recreational crabbing.  My how it keeps changing it's mind 

 

Especially on my day off.

I don't see how a crab boat captain can feel any other way than that Cali's overzealous regulators and the politicians who appoint them want to ruin their business until they go out of business and never come back. The whale stuff over the last few years, the trap changes, the new engine requirements, and the completely maniacal and hostile ropeless rules they are working on that couldn't possibly be viewed by intelligent people as something the crab fishery can survive.

Sorry to get political, but the politicians, their appointees, and by extension the voters who put them there are engaged in an all-out war against crabbers. It's disgusting. Why does everything in Cali involve a mandate or a ban these days? We're getting way too comfortable with that, or at least some people are. And sorry to be dramatic, but this stuff really and truly pisses me off when it isn't making me depressed.

I don't see how a crab boat captain can feel any other way than that Cali's overzealous regulators and the politicians who appoint them want to ruin their business until they go out of business and never come back. The whale stuff over the last few years, the trap changes, the new engine requirements, and the completely maniacal and hostile ropeless rules they are working on that couldn't possibly be viewed by intelligent people as something the crab fishery can survive.

Sorry to get political, but the politicians, their appointees, and by extension the voters who put them there are engaged in an all-out war against crabbers. It's disgusting. Why does everything in Cali involve a mandate or a ban these days? We're getting way too comfortable with that, or at least some people are. And sorry to be dramatic, but this stuff really and truly pisses me off when it isn't making me depressed.

At the very least, the folks who propose the rules should have to prove that they at least go outside every once in a while.