Commercial crab season hours away

With the official start to the commercial crab season now just hours away (Saturday), both fishermen and restaurants are getting ready.

Over the last couple decades Dominic Mercurio has had some pretty exciting people stop by his restaurant, Caf Fina, at the Fisherman’s Wharf.

“Joe Pesci, Paul Newman, Brooke Shields,” said Mercurio as he pointed to framed pictures on the wall of the restaurant that he has owned for more than 20 years.

All fame aside, the start of crab season brings a whole different type of excitement for Mercurio.

“You guarantee you are going to see crab cioppino on this menu, for sure,” said Mercurio.

Since the commercial crab season was delayed for months after high levels of domoic acid were discovered, Mercurio has been ordering crabs from up north. Still a fine product, Mercurio said, but there is something about a Monterey Bay Crab.

“When you get the same-day caught fish and serve it to the customer there is really nothing better,” said Mercurio.

Just steps from Mercurio’s restaurant, his nephew Johnny is preparing his boat all while trying to stay optimistic about the delayed season.

“I think there is enough out there to make some money at least for three weeks,” said Johnny Mercurio.

Like his uncle, Johnny, is always concerned about the quality of the crabs.

“Right now the crab are nice. They are nice and hard. There are no softies,” said Johnny Mercurio.

Earlier this week the preparation continued at up the road at Moss Landing.

“I am really happy to be going to work because most of us are work oriented around here,” said Tom Hart, a commercial crab fisherman.
Along with Hart’s joy of getting back to work is frustration.

“This was really a good demonstration of how unprepared our state was to handle this situation,” said Hart. “In Oregon and Washington they got their people back on the water quicker”

Back over at Cafe Fina, Dominic Mercurio is just glad that his customers will get a chance to taste the fresh Monterey Crab.

“We got crab from Monterey there is nothing better,” Mercurio.