November 12, 2018 — The opening of the commercial Dungeness crab season has been delayed until at least Dec. 1 in the waters north of Bodega Head State Marine Reserve to the Sonoma/Mendocino county line because of elevated levels of domoic acid, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced today.
The commercial fishery south of this area will open as scheduled Thursday, however.
November 29, 2017 — SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The California Department of Fish and Game has delayed the opening of the commercial Dungeness crab season in Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte counties due to poor meat quality test results.
The department said Monday the opening would be postponed for a minimum of 15 days.
The state is trying to schedule a second round of testing before Dec. 7 to determine whether the fishery can open Dec. 16 or will need to be further delayed.
Read the full story from the Associated Press at KRON4
BERKLEY, Calif. (March 22, 2016) — Dungeness crabs caught off the coast of California south of the Mendocino-Sonoma County line have been deemed safe for consumption, California Department of Fish and Wildlife officials announced Friday. Recent tests showed that domoic acid levels in crabs in the area no longer pose a risk to human health, prompting state officials to lift a closure of the recreational Dungeness crab fishery.
Additionally, a closure of the commercial Dungeness crab fishery in the area will also be lifted on March 26, according to the CDFW. Closure for the Dungeness crab commercial and recreational fisheries north of the Mendocino-Sonoma County line remain in effect. Commercial and recreational rock crab fisheries, however, remain closed north of San Simeon, as well as in state waters around San Miguel, Santa Rosa and Santa Cruz islands, CDFW officials said.
The commercial crab season was initially scheduled to start Nov. 17, but remained closed after public health officials determined crabs had high levels of domoic acid, a neurotoxin that can be harmful to humans if eaten. Domoic acid is caused by an algal bloom.