Lobster season is an eagerly anticipated time for hunters who venture into the sea and explore the ocean floor in search of delectable crustaceans. However, this year’s season opener in Southern California might be dampened by restrictions and warnings. Recent tests conducted off the coast of Los Angeles County have revealed high levels of domoic acid in spiny lobsters, which can cause illness if consumed.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) has issued an announcement regarding delays to the season’s kick-off, which is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Friday, September 29, for recreational diving and hoop netting, followed by the commercial fishery on October 4. State health agencies have recommended a delayed opening for the recreational and commercial fishery in certain areas, extending from Point Vicente in Palos Verdes to the westernmost point of the Long Beach Breakwater, with advisories stretching north to Redondo Beach and south to near Huntington Beach. Furthermore, commercial fishing will be delayed in state waters off Palos Verdes to Huntington Beach.
To determine whether the delays can be lifted, additional sampling will be conducted this week, with results expected soon. If these tests indicate that the domoic acid levels are below the threshold for a health hazard, the delays may be lifted. The earliest this could happen is on Friday, just before the recreational season opens.
Domoic acid is a potent neurotoxin produced by pseudo-nitzschia, a naturally occurring single-celled marine alga, under specific ocean conditions. This toxin can accumulate in shellfish, other invertebrates, and sometimes fish without causing harm to the organism itself, according to CDFW officials.
During the summer, a toxic algae bloom caused domoic acid poisoning in hundreds of sea lions and dolphins, overwhelming marine rescue centers in Los Angeles and Orange counties with sick animals. While many animals died from the poisoning, it is uncertain whether this bloom is responsible for the higher levels found in the tested lobsters.
Exposure to low levels of domoic acid can lead to nausea, diarrhea, and dizziness in humans. At higher levels, it can cause persistent short-term memory loss, seizures, and even fatality in some cases. Both state and federal laws prohibit the commercial distribution of seafood products that exceed the federally mandated threshold of 20 parts per million of domoic acid in the viscera of spiny lobster.
Despite these delays and advisories, the annual Lobster Mobster festivities are still scheduled to take place on Friday at Dive N’ Surf in Redondo Beach. During this event, lobsters captured during the opening night are brought in and weighed, with prizes awarded to those who catch the largest specimens.
Alex Stys, the dive department manager, plans to inform customers about the health hazard and encourage a “catch and release” approach if lobsters are captured in the affected areas. The Lobster Mobster event, now in its 47th year, attracts approximately 200 participants, some of whom have been attending since its inception. Stys mentioned that many individuals freeze their lobsters to enjoy them for as long as possible.
Lobster diving boat charters will not be canceled, but they will travel north towards the Hermosa Beach reef. Stys does anticipate a potential impact on gear sales due to the closures and advisories. However, she does not believe that the delayed opening of the season will have a significant effect overall.
Brad Thompson, an executive member of the spearfishing group OC Spearos, expresses his understanding of the commercial activity delay, but suggests that for personal catch, the state should only issue advisories and let individuals assume their own risks. Thompson plans to capture lobsters further south, but he anticipates that areas outside the advisories will be even more popular than usual on the busiest day of lobster hunting during the season opener.
“It’s going to be a zoo,” he said. “It’s definitely going to impact the areas outside the closure area.”
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