PRINCETON-BY-THE-SEA — Bay Area fishermen are worried that the Dungeness crab season could be delayed by high levels of a naturally occurring toxin that's harmful to humans.
State officials are conducting tests to determine the levels of domoic acid in the crab and expect to announce the results midweek. The acid is found in phytoplankton, or algae, that are eaten by shrimp and other organisms whose remains are eventually consumed by the bottom-feeding crustaceans.
Don Marshall, a fishermen out of Pillar Point Harbor in San Mateo County, said the Northern California fleet is worried that the commercial season, slated to open Nov. 15 in time for Thanksgiving, could be delayed for weeks and even months. The Nov. 7 opening of the recreational season could also be pushed back.
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