Let them eat crab

Bay Area seafood lovers rejoiced last week when California Department of Fish and Game officials announced fishermen could begin fishing and crabbing in San Francisco Bay.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger had put the annual Dungeness crab season on hold several weeks ago after a South Korea-bound ship clipped the Bay Bridge, spilling 58,000 gallons of bunker fuel into the bay. The accident occurred just eight days before the season was scheduled to begin.

Subsequent tests of more than 1,000 crabs and fish in the bay concluded the catch would be safe to eat. Despite the announcement, DFG officials warned fishermen to use common sense since the water may contain residual oil. Meanwhile, the cause of the crash is still under investigation.