Crab season now open

UPDATE 11/7/16 5:40PM: A quiet scene at the Moss Landing Harbor, not necessarily a bad thing, the fisherman are just busy out at sea.

“There’s nothing like fresh crab, it loses it’s sweetness real quick,” said Kevin Seward, a Sport Fisherman.

According to Seward, since the start of the recreational crab season Saturday, he hasn’t caught as many as he was hoping to.

Fishermen are attributing the lack of numbers to the large swell that has be crashing on the beaches this past weekend. The crab traps haven’t settled well, plus crabs tend to dig into the sand during rough waters.

There’s good news though, despite quantity being down the quality is up.

“Ah, delicious, very big crabs, they’re very heavy. You know I had a chance to actually eat some yesterday, I was in heaven,” said Keith Stemler with Chris’ Fishing Trips out of the Monterey Harbor.

So those looking to eat some fresh crab are in luck, especially with the holidays right around the corner. The commercial crab season opens up on the November 15th.

ORIGINAL STORY: There is good news for lovers of dungeness crab. The crabs coming in are large and tasty. If there is a downside, not many crabs have been harvested since the start of recreational crab season started Saturday.

Local fishing captains blame with weather for the slow start, saying high waves and a large ocean swell prevented crab cages from settling on the ocean floor. They expect a better haul once the waves diminish.

Unlike last year, when concerns over demoic acid postponed the start of crab season, this year’s season started on time. The commercial season starts November 15th, and boat owners and restaurant owners hope the high quality of the recreational catch will carry over for them.

Tonight, KION’s Steve Fundaro reports on the high expectations for this year’s crab season.