Commercial Dungeness Crab Season Delay On North Coast

SACRAMENTO (AP) -- 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.

The Fish and Game Code does not allow the season to be delayed beyond Jan. 15 due to crab quality.

Recreational crabbing remains open statewide, but there are two areas of the northern coast where health officials advise against eating the internal organs due to elevated levels of domoic acid.

Copyright 2017 The Associated Press.