The California Department of Fish and Wildlife has delayed the commercial crab season for the North Coast as the crab didn’t meet the weight qualifications for the season to begin. The delayed season affects Humboldt, Mendocino and Del Norte counties. According to a release, “Samplings conducted on Oct. 27 and Nov. 12 did not yield […]
Crab
Posted inNews
NCJ Preview: Fish off the Boats and Oysters Online
This week, the conversation is heavy on seafood. As COVID-19 closed restaurants, Humboldt fishermen started selling fish to the public at the docks, rather than sending it out of the area. Now the lines are long and the boat and business captains are looking at keeping it going. And how did virtual Oyster Fest go? […]
Posted inNews
NCJ Preview with Access Humboldt
This week news editor Thad Greenson and arts and features editor Jennifer Fumiko Cahill talk with host David Frank about an off-duty assault that cost a local police officer his job, a not weird enough Netflix series set (but not filmed) in Humboldt and a couple of classic Chinese American recipes for crab. Watch the […]
Posted inEat + Drink
Crabby Patty Cravings
The Krabby Patty from SpongeBob SquarePants has been stuck in my head for years. From the time my kids enjoyed watching SpongeBob, I heard “Krabby Patty” over and over. I assumed it was a crab cake patty because there was a crab walking around in the show. I swear, for all these years I thought […]
Posted inNews
Crab Season to Start Dec. 31
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife announced today the news so many have been waiting to hear: The commercial crab season for Humboldt County will start Dec. 31. After being delayed twice while waiting for the crab to fatten up a bit, fishermen can now begin setting gear in local waters on Dec. 28. […]
Posted inNews
Waiting Game
Fishermen are optimistic by nature, but spending $5,000 on new crab gear this year is still a risky proposition for commercial crabbers like Curt Wilson. The equipment is expensive, prone to being lost and there has been no certainty in recent years that the commercial Dungeness crab season will start on time, if at all. […]
Posted inNews
Crab Quality Delays Commercial Season Opening
The commercial crab season for Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte counties is being delayed due to “poor crab meat quality tests,” according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. But there’s still hope for crab by New Year’s, if not Christmas. In a Nov. 15 memo, CDFW Director Charlton H. Bonham wrote that “quality […]
Posted inLife + Outdoors
The Mink Mystery
I dumped my old imaginary friend. My new one is a woman. She’s great. You’ll meet her in a sec. She helped me solve the greatest mystery of my local beachcombing career — seven skulls of the American mink (Neovison vison) washed up together. (To that one dude reading this who knows the answer: Shut […]
Posted inArts + Scene
This Crab is Metal
In case the giant silver crab raising its pincers above the chain link fence around Spaulding Construction’s parking lot off U.S. Highway 101 by Kristina’s in Eureka has you wondering, you aren’t hallucinating and you didn’t miss the Kinetic Grand Championship. The shining crustacean on wheels is the work of metal artist Dan McCauley of […]
Posted inLife + Outdoors
Studying Sammy the Crab
I can tell from comments on my previous story that space aliens read this paper. So I’m providing them with my abduction instructions here. (Pro-tip for other Chosen Ones: Clip this and save it for your aliens.) I myself regularly abduct non-human Earthlings and care for them in a laboratory setting, so I know how […]
Posted inEat + Drink
What to Eat Monday, Friday and Until the Crab Runs Out
Crab it while you can Domoic acid and low weights have led to enough crab-less Christmases to keep us from taking Dungeness for granted. Crack ’em while we’ve got ’em, folks. And if you’re up for the luxury of feasting on the sweet meat without wielding a mallet, order it out. Cross your fingers, kiss your St. […]
Posted inEat + Drink
Crab it While You Can
Domoic acid and low weights have led to enough crab-less Christmases to keep us from taking Dungeness for granted. Crack ’em while we’ve got ’em, folks. And if you’re up for the luxury of feasting on the sweet meat without wielding a mallet, order it out. Cross your fingers, kiss your St. Andrew necklace and hope it’s […]