Good news for crab lovers.
SAN FRANCISCO -- The population of young Dungeness crabs in San Francisco Bay has sharply increased over the past six years, signaling a healthy ocean environment and abundant catches in the future.
The number of young crabs from 2000 to 2004 was six times greater than from 1980 to 1999, based on the state Department of Fish and Game's annual count of the bay's baby Dungeness.
"We actually have something that's going up!" said Chuck Armor, operations manager at Fish and Game's Central Valley Bay-Delta Branch in Stockton. "The bay numbers are affected by good ocean conditions, we believe. If everything lines up just right, we see more crab in the bay."
Scientists attributed the crab rebound to cool ocean currents, improved conditions in the bay and a phenomenon known as "upwelling," in which deep, cold water flows bring to the surface rich food supplies of plankton, fish and other sea life.
Young Dungeness crab spend about a year of their life in the bay, where they benefit from tidal marshes, good water quality and fresh water. After their first year, bay crabs usually return to the ocean, where they're prey for fishermen once they reach commercial size. State regulations limit the size and the season of the catch, and prohibit taking female crabs.
SAN FRANCISCO -- The population of young Dungeness crabs in San Francisco Bay has sharply increased over the past six years, signaling a healthy ocean environment and abundant catches in the future.
The number of young crabs from 2000 to 2004 was six times greater than from 1980 to 1999, based on the state Department of Fish and Game's annual count of the bay's baby Dungeness.
"We actually have something that's going up!" said Chuck Armor, operations manager at Fish and Game's Central Valley Bay-Delta Branch in Stockton. "The bay numbers are affected by good ocean conditions, we believe. If everything lines up just right, we see more crab in the bay."
Scientists attributed the crab rebound to cool ocean currents, improved conditions in the bay and a phenomenon known as "upwelling," in which deep, cold water flows bring to the surface rich food supplies of plankton, fish and other sea life.
Young Dungeness crab spend about a year of their life in the bay, where they benefit from tidal marshes, good water quality and fresh water. After their first year, bay crabs usually return to the ocean, where they're prey for fishermen once they reach commercial size. State regulations limit the size and the season of the catch, and prohibit taking female crabs.
