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]