Nov 15, 2007 1:33 pm US/Pacific
Bay Oil Spill Has Crabbers Worried As Season Opens
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS) ―
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Crab fisherman Art Romine organizes his crab nets in San Francisco's Fisherman's Wharf area, Tuesday, Nov. 13, 2007 after Calif. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Tuesday suspended all fishing in areas affected by last week's San Francisco Bay oil spill.
AP
San Francisco crabbers stayed off the water Thursday, despite the opening of the Dungeness crab season, fearing bad publicity from last week's oil spill would mean consumers wouldn't want to eat crab from the region.
Local crabbers had asked the governor to delay the opening of the entire commercial crab fishery because they are worried about possible contamination from the spilled oil - as well as public perceptions that the catch could be tainted.
The Department of Fish and Game said Wednesday fishing would be closed in the bay and waters within three miles of the coastline, from San Mateo County to Point Reyes - leaving open most of the commercial Dungeness crab fishery.
Crabbers will not be able to unload crabs in San Francisco, but they can still deliver their catch to buyers in Half Moon Bay or Bodega Bay.
At Fisherman's Wharf Thursday morning, crabbers said they're worried about their potential liability if someone gets sick from eating oil-tainted crab.
"It just takes one crab and you'll have a problem. It's a lawsuit waiting to happen," said Max Boland, director of sales at Alber Seafoods, a wholesaler on the wharf. Some crabbers said they were outraged that state officials decided to leave open most of the Central California crab fishery, which extends south from Point Arena in Mendocino County. The fishery traditionally opens two weeks before larger crab fisheries further north.
"This is an absolute disaster," said Larry Collins, who heads the San Francisco Crab Boat Owners Association. "We're all stunned. It's absolutely irresponsible."
Steve Martarano, a spokesman for the state Department of Fish and Game, said the department consulted with all sectors of the fishing industry before deciding which areas should be closed.
"All of us were concerned about the human health issue," Martarano said. "There was a wide range of opinion, and we took everything into consideration."
Miles of beaches are still shut down after the freighter Cosco Busan struck the San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge in heavy fog on Nov. 7, spilling 58,000 gallons of oil into the bay.
Federal prosecutors are conducting a criminal probe into the spill, and the governor also has promised an investigation.
Officials have ruled out mechanical error and are focusing on the actions of the pilot and crew.
But the investigation into the cause of the crash hit a snag Wednesday when Chinese crew members of the Hong Kong-based cargo ship refused to speak with federal investigators. Some crew members had previously spoken to the Coast Guard, but new criminal and civil investigations have apparently led the crew to hire lawyers and refuse interviews, said National Transportation Safety Board member Debbie Hersman.
The NTSB could subpoena the crew members. The Coast Guard has been criticized for a lapse of several hours between when officials knew the spill was 58,000 gallons - not 140 gallons as initially reported - and when that information was made public.
Coast Guard Commandant Adm. Thad Allen told lawmakers the Coast Guard will review its own response, including whether its emergency plan for the bay is adequate. The process will include the city of San Francisco, the state of California and others.
(© 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
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