One week after the long-anticipated commercial Dungeness crab season roared to life, hundreds of fishermen and crustacean-craving customers are eagerly indulging in the multi-million dollar industry.
Neither rain nor foggy skies kept crowds from Pillar Point Harbor over the weekend and a seemingly endless stream of crab loving consumers continued to spill onto the docks near Half Moon Bay this week.
The seasonal hustle and bustle that enlivens the local harbor is a welcomed commotion, particularly since last year’s holiday catch was halted due to the crustaceans testing positive for the harmful neurotoxin domoic acid.
But fears from last season appear to have subsided with people lining up to buy the local delicacies.
State wildlife officials gave the thumbs up for commercial fishermen to begin reeling in crab pots Nov. 15, just in time to satiate a Thanksgiving market. A rainy opening weekend was initially feared to keep customers who buy directly off the boat at bay. Fortunately, gray skies were not a deterrent to those who’ve waited more than a year for fresh crab, said commercial fisherman Barry Day, who reflected on the first weekend of the season.
