It's a Bay Area tradition to find Dungeness crab starting to appear on local menus this month, and on Thanksgiving tables in a few weeks, but the crabbing season may not start on time this week depending on test results from the California Department of Public Health. As the Chron and CBS 5 are reporting, they're testing crabs from crab beds near eight different local ports — Crescent City, Trinidad, Eureka, Fort Bragg, Bodega Bay, San Francisco/Half Moon Bay, Monterey Bay, and Morro Bay — for the presence of domoic acid, a dangerous neurotoxin that comes from red algae which has been blooming along the warmer-than-usual Pacific coast this year.

It is, in fact, the biggest algae bloom of its kind ever observed, and this has already affected crab fishing on the Washington coast, where Dungeness crab season starts in the summer.

California Fish and Wildlife Department spokeswoman Jordan Traverso told the Santa Rosa Press-Democrat Friday, "everything kind of is up in the air right now" as test results won't come in until later this week.

The big trouble with domoic acid is that it survives cooking at high temperatures, and it can be very harmful, and even fatal, in humans. The algae can accumulate in fish and rise up the food chain, and because of the current algal bloom, there are a bunch of local fish that are on a current no-eat list, including Monterey Bay sardines, and any recreationally harvested mussels, clams, or whole scallops from anywhere along the Central Coast.

Worse than crabs, even, when it comes to potential health risks from the algae are bivalves like clams and mussels, and small fish like anchoves, because the toxin accumulates in their digestive tract and they are typically consumed whole, without being gutted.

Per the Press Democrat:

Symptoms of mild [domoic acid] poisoning include vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, abdominal cramps, headache, dizziness and confusion beginning 30 minutes to 24 hours after consuming toxic seafood.

Severe cases may cause difficulty breathing, seizure, coma and even death. Survivors in some cases may experience permanent short-term memory loss.

For the seafood-anxious, this is likely to mean that these fish and shellfish are going to be on a no-eat list for the foreseeable future.

Recreational Dungeness crab season would begin, if it's not delayed, on November 7, while the commercial season will begin later this month on different parts of the coast.

Earlier Dungeness crab season coverage on SFist.

Good news, crustacean fans, the frustrating mid-season crab fishermen's strike that caused a run on dungeness crab last week has been smashed open and practically dipped in butter already. Skippers and fishmongers cut a deal yesterday evening, giving fishermen the green light to cast off before dawn this morning.

As the Chronicle reports, the Crab Boat Owners Association was able to get the same $3-per-pound price they set at the beginning of the season, even though the wholesale distributors had threatened to drop the price. Rumor has it a few crab boats came down from Oregon to poach in Northern California waters and were undercutting the locals by selling for only $2.25-per-pound. Local restaurants relying on a fresh supply of the creatures for advertised crab dinners even started importing inferior crustaceans from Alaska, the Northwest, or (shudder) a freezer.

The break in the strike couldn't have come sooner, either. As the noted crab purveyors at Alioto-Lazio's told the Chronicle, "We sold out two days ago." After a full day of fishing today, the latest pots of fresh crab meat are expected to hit local markets and restaurants by Friday.

Previously: All dungeness coverage on SFist.
[Chron]
[BCN/Appeal]

Those plans you had for a holiday-themed crab boil this weekend are not looking good. Earlier this week local crab fisherman caught word that the cheapskate fishmongers were planning to drop the price they pay for fresh crustaceans from the previously agreed-upon $3 per pound to a shrimpy $1.80, setting off a strike at docks from Half Moon Bay to Bodega Bay.

The reason for the price cut, the Chronicle reports, was a sharp drop in demand following the early season Thanksgiving rush. With their tanks full of crab, the wholesale fish companies and retailers stopped buying and started mulling the price drop. Those rainstorms last week also didn't help the crab guys' mood either, when 15-foot swells and 40 mph winds kept their boats at the docks.

But the crab boaters would rather lose a couple days of fishing than take a paycut, so none of the commercial boats (most of which are owned by the fisherman themselves) have gone out since Tuesday. With nothing coming in and holiday orders still going out, everyone from Alioto-Lazio to Mollie Stone's to Whole Foods is seeing a run on the sweet, delicious crabmeat.

Thankfully, President of the Crab Boat Owner's Association Larry Collings doesn't think the dispute will last more than a few days. (And heaven help anyone who denies a Whole Foods customer their featured dinner party dish.) More good news: If you haven't gotten a taste of this year's catch yet, they might be even tastier despite the short supply. As Collins explained, "there's not a lot of them, but they are really good."

Previously: All Dungeness coverage on SFist
[Chron]

Four commercial fishermen were rescued today after their 35-foot commercial fishing boat, christened "Reward," capsized 50 yards off of Pier 45 today. Fortunately, as a response boat from the Coast Guard Station was performing "training evolutions" in the Bay, they noticed the boat sinking, went into action, and rescued the four fishermen. No injuries were sustains.

However, the boat, carrying a possible 300 gallons of diesel fuel, is currently submerged under the Bay. Check it:

The vessel is currently submerged beneath the water, and carries a maximum of 300 gallons of diesel fuel onboard. The Coast Guard will continue to assess the surrounding water for pollution, and take any steps necessary for cleanup. Coast Guard personnel, and divers from the San Francisco Police Department, were able to move the vessel to the edge of the channel to allow continued use of the waterway.

As of now, the reason for the vessel's sinking is unknown. A 100-yard safety zone has been established around the submerged boat. Just how long it will take for the boat to be removed is also unknown. Stay tuned, folks.