HALF MOON BAY, Calif. (AP) — Even though this year's Dungeness crab catch is looking strong, many crabbers are waiting a little longer before filling their boats up this year.
While Sunday marked the official opening to the Dungeness season off California's central coast, fishermen say the crustaceans need days or even weeks more to mature and fatten up.
Fishermen say the seafloor is crawling with adult male crab this season, following poor catches the past couple years.
Yet tests of crustaceans caught from Half Moon Bay to Bodega Bay are being conducted to make sure the crabs have enough meat in the shells.
Fisherman, buyers and eaters want crabs with 25 percent of the body weight made up of meat.
So far, fishermen say this year's catch needs more time to reach that goal. Most boats are staying in port for now while further tests of the quality are done.
"This isn't a stall tactic by the local boats to hold up the season," Chris Lawson, president of the Fishermen's Marketing Association of Bodega Bay," told the Santa Rosa Press Democrat. "We just don't want to shoot ourselves in the foot by catching crabs that aren't ready."
Fishermen believe the abundance of crabs has meant more competition for food, so the crustaceans are eating less and growing at a slower pace. Once they fatten up, the season should be the best in years.
The crab season runs through June 30, so some fishermen say they can wait days or even a few weeks to make sure the catch is ready for the market.
