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Dungeness crab season starts after fishermen strike $2.25-a-pound deal

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Dungeness crab was missing from Thanksgiving dinners, but it’ll likely show up for Christmas after Central California fishermen finally struck a $2.25-a-pound deal Monday with seafood buyers.

Boats had stalled in the Bay Area for two weeks as crab catchers quibbled with buyers over prices for their haul, according to the San Mateo County Times. Processors had sought $2 a pound, but fishermen had wanted $2.50 a pound to cover rising fuel and equipment costs.

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But now, stalemate broken, the crab industry is speeding out to sea, expecting a hefty catch this year after fishermen brought in 19 million pounds of the crustacean last year. The seafood could show up in stores and restaurants as early as Tuesday.

The meaty Dungeness crab is the most abundant crab in California, though populations peter out south of Monterey Bay, according to the state Department of Fish and Game. In Southern California, commercial fishermen more commonly catch smaller rock crabs.

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-- Tiffany Hsu

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