(AP) — The commercial crab season has officially opened after being postponed for more than four months because tests showed high levels of domoic acid, a naturally occurring neurotoxin.
But local fishermen who began fishing for crab on Saturday say they won't know how salvageable their season will be until Monday.
The Santa Rosa Press Democrat reports fishermen catching Dungeness crab will conduct quality tests this weekend.
The results are eagerly anticipated by local fishermen who have suffered economically since state officials postponed the season, scheduled to begin in mid-November. Local and state officials have pressed for federal disaster relief.
Crab company owner Tony Anello says that according to recreational fishermen the quality appears to be decent. Recreational fishermen were allowed to start harvesting crab off the Sonoma coast since March 18.
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