Spotty Crabs Getting Worse

Maybe I just have bad luck or maybe it's the location, but the crab I've been catching lately look terrible-covered in black spots with deteriorating limbs. I don't remember ever seeing this back in the 90s when I first started crabbing with my dad. I first saw them when I started crabbing again in 2006-mostly on red rock crab. Lately however, I've been having a harder time finding big crab that are healthy. On my last trip out, every keeper sized dungie I pulled up looked sick and had to be thrown back.Thankfully, the red rock crab I've been getting are pretty healthy looking. I mostly crab the waters right outside the golden gate bridge such as kirby cove and baker beach. I'll try some different spots and see if I have better luck.

Where at?

I heard there's a crab warning in Monterey. They look healthy in HMB

The crab are okay to eat; just do not eat the internal organs.

CDPH Updates Warning about Certain Seafood Caught In Monterey and Santa Cruz Counties
Date: 4/28/2014

Number: 14-041

Contact: Anita Gore, Heather Bourbeau (916) 440-7259

SACRAMENTO


The California Department of Public Health (CDPH) is advising consumers not to eat the internal organs of commercially or recreationally caught anchovy, sardines, or crab taken from Monterey and Santa Cruz counties.

This health advisory is in addition to the April 4 warning not to eat recreationally harvested bivalve shellfish (such as mussels, clams or whole scallops) from Monterey or Santa Cruz counties due to dangerous levels of domoic acid in mussel samples.

Dangerous levels of domoic acid continue to be detected in the species included in the advisories and could be present in other species. CDPH continues to collect bivalve shellfish, fin fish and crab samples from the area to monitor the level of domoic acid in seafood. There have been no reported illnesses associated with this event.

That warning does not apply to commercially sold clams, mussels, scallops or oysters from approved sources. State law permits only state-certified commercial shellfish harvesters or dealers to sell these products. Shellfish sold by certified harvesters and dealers are subject to frequent mandatory testing to monitor for toxins.

Symptoms of domoic acid poisoning can occur within 30 minutes to 24 hours after eating toxic seafood. In mild cases, symptoms may include vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, headache and dizziness. These symptoms disappear within several days. In severe cases, the victim may experience trouble breathing, confusion, cardiovascular instability, seizures, excessive bronchial secretions, permanent loss of short-term memory, coma or death.

To receive updated information about shellfish poisoning and quarantines, call CDPH’s toll-free “Shellfish Information Line” at (800) 553-4133. For additional information visit CDPH’s Natural Marine Toxins: PSP and Domoic Acid Web page.

Earlier in the season we were getting a lot of the black spots on crab out of HMB.  Sometimes the spotting is light, i.e. doesn't break through the shell.  But sometimes you see holes in the shell and spotting on the meat too.  I usually don't eat those parts.  If it looks bad, I toss it back.

-Allen