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.

State officials delayed the season out of concern that humpback whales could get tangled up in the fishing lines.

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The whales have since moved on - clearing the way for crab boats to start setting traps the day after Christmas.

They can officially start hauling in the catch Dec. 29.