California Gov. Jerry Brown is asking the federal government to offer financial relief to commercial fishermen who collectively have lost out on millions due to fishery closures and unsafe levels of a certain neurotoxin found in local crab.
When local fishermen might actually get support was up in the air, however.
Brown sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker this week requesting a federal disaster declaration because much of the commercial rock crab and Dungeness crab fisheries have been closed since November 2015, when state health officials found unsafe levels of neurotoxin domoic acid.
Although the California Department of Fish and Wildlife lifted the ban for all crab caught along the mainland south of Piedras Blancas Light Station in northern San Luis Obispo County on Dec. 31, waters north of that point up through Oregon remained closed this week.
The advisory also remained in effect for state waters around Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa and San Miguel islands — areas frequented by many Santa Barbara crab fishermen.
“We do not have all the details at this time, especially regarding a timeline,” CDFW spokeswoman Jordan Traverso said.
“In order for any commercial crab fisher-person to receive assistance for lost income, first, the Secretary of Commerce would have to determine this is a federal fishery disaster and funds would have to be provided by Congress. At this time, we are working toward that goal.”
California’s commercial rock crab fishery is typically open year-round, and the commercial Dungeness crab season was supposed to open Nov. 15.
Even with the local lifted ban, state health officials urged anglers and consumers not to eat the crab viscera — internal organs commonly called the “guts” or “butter” — because it usually contains more domoic acid, a natural occurrence related to an algal “bloom” that typically thrives in warmer water (possibly related to El Nino).
According to health officials, symptoms of domoic acid poisoning range from vomiting, diarrhea and headaches to trouble breathing, heart problems, coma or death.
The Dungeness crab industry, which is more popular in northern California, is valued at up to $90 million a year, according to the governor.
“Crabs are a vital component of California’s natural resources and provide significant aesthetic, recreational, commercial, cultural and economic benefits to our state,” Brown wrote in his letter.
“Economic assistance will be critical for the well-being of our fishing industry and our state.”
Some 15 California counties affected by the closure could be declared a disaster area, according to the governor.
Santa Barbara Harbor Operations Manager Mick Kronman has said commercial crab fishing is a $2-million-a-year industry, with another 28 percent in expanded local economic impact.
In late 2015, Congresswoman Lois Capps, D-Santa Barbara, sent a letter with fellow California lawmakers urging for federal assistance.
“I am relieved to hear that Gov. Jerry Brown has asked the federal government to declare a commercial fisheries disaster,” Capps said in a statement Wednesday.
“Our coastal communities are vital not only to our Central Coast economy, but to the entire California economy. That is why we need to ensure that the fishing community is supported and has access to critical federal resources during this closure.”
— Noozhawk staff writer Gina Potthoff can be reached at gpotthoff@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk, @NoozhawkNews and @NoozhawkBiz. Connect with Noozhawk on Facebook.