At Shun Fat Supermarket in Stockton, “live” crab were $8.99/lb today. The quotes are necessary, IMO, because they certainly did not seem very lively, and a few of them looked pretty damned dead.
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Commercial season opened north of Sonoma/Mendocino today…but stormy ocean and coming rain and the crabbers stayed docked. Thought there might be a chance at local crabs this weekend.
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Me too, but yesterday my Safeway was unloading the last dozen or so crab for $1.99/lb & I couldnt resist! I grabbed 2 & hubs & I had them for dinner. I do still crack & clean myself. They were very good! 
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Finally the crab fishermen might get to go out and hopefully make a living and keep their boats.
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The commercial fishing season further south {of Sonoma and Mendocine] will remain delayed due to the concentration of whales observed along the coast, including a group of 58 whales feeding near the surface in fishing zones around San Francisco Bay.
Calif. crab fishing zones. Courtesy of CDFW
According to the Risk Assessment and Mitigation Program (RAMP), the multiple delays in the Dungeness season opening were attributed to humpback whale entanglements and the high number of whale sightings. 16 separate humpback and gray whale entanglements have been reported in California, with four entanglements associated with commercial crabbing nets.
The California Dungeness Crab Fishing Gear Working Group developed RAMP in 2020, which included commercial and recreational fishermen, environment organization representatives, whale entanglement response network members, and state and federal agencies. They are committed to developing solutions that support thriving whale populations along the West Coast and promote a thriving, profitable Dungeness crab fishery.
RAMP monthly assesses marine life entanglement risk for humpbacks, blue whales, and leatherback sea turtles. When entanglement risk is heightened, the department includes a working group and thoroughly reviews information before taking further action. The actions can include fleet advisories, fishing depth restrictions, and fishery closures.
NMFS has also proposed upgrading California commercial Dungeness crab fishery from a Category 2 to a Category 1, a designation reserved for fisheries that have had frequent likelihood of seriously injuring or killing marine mammals. NMFS must classify each commercial fishery on the List of Fisheries into one of the three categories under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
The next DFWD Assessment is scheduled for Jan. 11.
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[
Carli Stewart
](https://www.nationalfisherman.com/author/carli-stewart)
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Commercial crab season opens Jan 18 -
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) will open the commercial Dungeness crab fishery from the Sonoma/Mendocino county line to the U.S./Mexico border (Central Management Area: Fishing Zones 3-6) under a 50 percent trap reduction beginning Jan. 18, 2024, at 12:01 a.m. with a 64-hour pre-soak to begin on Jan. 15, 2024, at 8 a.m.
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I liked this headline;
I wish Dungeness crabs were more readily available at a decent price by me. Last year was my first year ever of not having any blue crabs. Maybe inflation will give them a break and slow down demand enough to allow them to replenish (if the climate doesn’t get to them first).
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Those look pretty big, like 2 lb? Did they say if they were local, as in from Mendocino to Oregon?
Due to the weather and crab prices, Mendocino Boats have stayed in.
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$7.99! 
Crab season is on in the SFBA. Expecting rain for the next 4 days, so we scooted down to Johnson Pier in Half Moon Bay to check out the first local catch of the season.
Good size crabs, looks mostly to be a tad under 2#. About 10 boats selling crab, a couple of boats also offering fish, live tanks loaded. $8/#. One guy was offering $7/# for a 5+ crab purchase.
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Good price . Support your local fishermen. I miss Dungeness crab .
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Yay!
Those look lovely. Really enjoyed crab when I was in SF in 2022. How do you prepare your crab? I actually bought some North Sea crab today, together with some fresh langoustines. Just gonna saute them with some garlic, chilli, parsley and white wine. 
Next time I’ll be making them in homemade black bean sauce… :)
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Wholesale price set at $3/lb. Crabbers not happy. Buying direct off the boat a good thing.
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We’re minimalist with crabs (and lobster). Boiled/steamed, crack, pick and eat. No drawn butter, aioli or even salt/pepper.
We’ve had the Thanh Long’s famous SF prep, and enjoyed it. Every time I visit Singapore, Chili Crab is always on my to-eat list. For one reason or another, have yet to scratch that off my list.
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I also prefer little or no special prep, just steam. On that note, not a fan of roasted crab…dries out too much. Also don’t see a point in covering it in garlic. Even as I like garlic, it masks the delicate and subtle flavor, IMO. In any case, with some luck maybe the season goes until April like last year.
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I am also a “minimalist”, at least for the first few of each time I buy. Steamed, and eaten at the counter near the sink. Some might make it into a simple salad, and some of that might get re-purposed into crab cakes.
I think I’ve made chili crab a few times, but I didn’t execute it well ( I’m watching Top Chef re-runs !)
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