Recreational crabbing season to begin Friday, while commercial crabbing has to wait

MONTEREY, Calif. (KGO) -- The local Dungeness crab season starts Friday for recreational crabbing off the coast from Mendocino County south to Monterey.

But commercial crabbing will have to wait until after Christmas.
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State officials delayed the season out of concern that humpback whales could get tangled up in the fishing lines.

RELATED: Bay Area crab season delayed again, impacting local fisherman ahead of holidays

The whales have since moved on - clearing the way for crab boats to start setting traps the day after Christmas.
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They can officially start hauling in the catch Dec. 29.