A second wave of Dungeness crab is expected to hit the market when the North Coast of California opens to commercial crabbers on Sunday.

The crabs in the cold waters of the Pacific from the Mendocino coast northward have been closed until crabs could mature. The amount of meat in the crabs was simply not enough to allow them to be taken by commercial crabbers.

Crabs in Sacramento supermarkets were likely from the waters of the central coast, which includes San Francisco Bay.

"This year was one of the most delayed years in the last couple of decades in the northern area," said state Department of Fish and Game Senior Environmental Scientist Pete Kalvass. "The meat-to-body weight ratio didn't meet the standard."

The growth rate of the delicious crustacean was delayed this year along the north coast. Kalvass said it is possible that the crabs had a delayed molting, a once-a-year occurrence when the crab gets a new shell. After that, the crab fills in with muscle tissue, which is the meat that humans eat.

"That's how they get bigger," said Kalvass. "They molt, get a slightly bigger shell and fill it full of meat. Then the crabbers go get them."

Typically, that process is completed by Dec. 1, which is the normal opening for Northern California. Some years, the season has been delayed by a couple of weeks, but this year the season is six weeks late.

"This phenomenon has been seen from Fort Bragg to Brookings in Southern Oregon," said Kalvass. "This is very unusual."

In the meantime, the season for the central part of the fishery, Half Moon Bay, San Francisco and Sonoma County, opened normally Nov. 15. The fishing industry did delay going after crabs a couple of weeks over price issues.

Once the crabbing boats went out, the fishermen had good fortune. Kalvass said the crab buyers he has spoken with say that Bay area crabbers have pulled in 6 million to 7 million pounds.

Last year, was a bumper crop: 19 million pounds from central part of the fishery.

"That blew away all records by a factor of three," said Kalvass. "That was amazing. The year before they landed 3 million."

Kalvass said last year's tremendous haul must have been due to a perfect storm of conditions: feed, current and water conditions must have been ideal when the crabs hatched three years prior.

While the San Francisco area was great, the north was not that good last year, Kalvass said. And so far the portions of Oregon that opened on Dec. 15 above Brookings are not producing that well, Kalvass said.

"That could be an indication of what we will see the when the Northern California season opens," he said. "It may be a mediocre or average year once they get underway."

Dungeness crab is a cold water species and are seldom seen south of Point Conception near Santa Barbara. Numbers start to dwindle below Monterey.

Dungeness prefer sandy, muddy water bottom from 60 feet deep to about 400 feet. Crab fleets in Fort Bragg, Eureka and Crescent City are champing at the bit to get out there and start bringing them in.

Because of the delay there will be a staggering of the seasons between the central and northern fisheries. That could mean crabbers could get a good price without a glut of crabs on the market.

"Normally, when everybody opens at once, you send all this product into the market," said Kalvass. "With the season spread out, it helps them get a better price."

Crabs taken by commercial fishermen must be 6.25 inches at the widest part of the shell.

Sport fishing for crabs opened statewide in November. Recreational fishermen can pull in 10 crabs a day.

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