Crab Update

We received some more information on the crabbing front, in a nutshell it's going to be "awhile" before sport or commercial boats will be setting any gear.
Currently crabs are being tested bi-weekly out of all ports. Testing was done this week in Morro Bay and Monterey (we are still waiting on confirmed results)  and weather permitting tests pots will be pulled in Half Moon Bay, the Golden Gate, Bodega and Crescent City next week between November 16 -18th.
Bi-weekly testing will continue until an average domoic acid count of 60 or lower is achieved out of all harbors. Once that happens there will be weekly tests until all ports see a DA level of 30 or below (federal safe standard for the viscera 20 ppm for the meat).  Once that happens a final test will be completed one week later to confirm that the crabs below the federal guideline of 30 ppm.
Tests over the past three weeks show that all Oregon ports but Brookings  are safe. Tests results in Crescent City climbed from 37ppm on September 15th to 66ppm on November 2nd. Tests off Ft Bragg in early November showed that crabs were safe. In the rumor department (but still not ones we can confirm until results from testing are published) is that Morro Bay and Santa Barbara were both within federal safe levels and that 9 out of 10 tests from this past week in Monterey bay were safe.  Again this was passed along by a good source but UNCONFIRMED.
On the November 2nd published tests showed Half Moon Bay had a level of 56 ppm. We will likely not hear of lab results from Bay area harbor until a week after next week's test crabs are brought in on November 16 to 18th.
In Washington state where levels in some ports were in the triple digits last June the crabs did not clean up for four mouths or late September. Dan Ayers who is the top Washington state researcher on domoic acid in Dungeness crabs says that water quality does not seem to play a role, it's what crabs are feeding on that determined how much DA acclimates in the viscera.
Cal state biologists say that the algae bloom has now dissipated off our coast so hopefully we are a couple of months into this cycle.
That said the California commercial fleet is pushing for a state wide opener and not a piecemeal or harbor by harbor approach. Crabs do migrate and if anyone was to get sick it would cause great harm to a sustainable commercial fishery worth $60 million dollars.
From the info piece I received it looks like the commercial fleet was supporting a 7 day sport opener ahead of any possible commercial start. 
That said I foresee squabbles where some ports have "clean crabs" and sport or commercial anglers want to fish and those ports unable to open due to still too high DA results. Lets all stick together and await clean safe crabs for sport and commercial consumers alike.
We are doing our best to understand and report on this very important issue but are too learning about something that we and many biologists don't fully understand how and why this algae puts off DA.
We will continue to pass along any info as it comes in.
Until the crab season reopens party and private boats are reporting great rockfish and ling action with sponsors like Rick Powers in Bodega and the Smith family in Berkeley and the Emeryville Sporting seeing big sacks and in many cases LIMITS of lings. Come out and enjoy a day on the water and support those who make this site possible. This page would not be possible without their and many other's support.

Thanks for the update!

So no crab on my combo rock cod/crab trip this Sunday from Bodega Bay. Oh well, I hope I get plenty of fish then!

Thanks for the info Doc!
I'll pass it on to my friends that are chomping at the bit.

Thanks for the info. 

With all the money and hungry mouths involved.  You would think they would make efforts to test every week.

When all is clear for the crabs to be harvest, do you think that the Dungies will be Nice and fat!

The main reason why they estimate that it may take up to 180 days, is thats about how long it takes for a dungy to molt.

The primary way for the crab to get rid of the toxin in areas like the crab butter, is to molt. And adult crab molt once a year; in the fall or spring; but it varies by area and crab life cycle, so it is hard to tell when it will happen..

So they will continue to test local catches in different areas; and will most likely open seasons in different areas along the coast....

Can I short the price of crabs? I bet they are 2 dollars a pound when the season opens with no demand.