California has set its sights on a sea critter as its next official state symbol - the Dungeness crab. Assemblymember Jim Wood is looking to solidify Metacarcinus magister's status by introducing Assembly Bill 1797, a piece of legislation that would crown the Dungeness crab as the state’s official crustacean, reported SFist. Wood, who has been the North Coast's rep since 2014 and is on his way out, apparently wants to leave a legacy as enduring as the armored delicacy itself.
According to state legislature documents, if approved, the Dungeness crab will join a list of other California emblems that includes the golden poppy (state flower) and the California gray whale (state marine mammal). It's not just symbolic, either. This crustacean, which thrives in sandy coastal waters and on local dinner plates, is a linchpin in both the state's ecosystem and its economy. Supporting fishing ports from north to central California, the crab fishing industry bolsters coastal hospitality businesses and features in export markets.
Though this might seem like an easy win for the eight-legged sea creature, California's commercial Dungeness crab season has faced its share of trouble, with price negotiations between local fisherman and seafood distribution companies delaying the season's start multiple times. Fishermen have claimed that the prices offered for their catch are far too low, leaving the fate of the current season in flux as reported by the Times-Standard via SFist.
Wood's bill encapsulates the state's relationship with the Dungeness crab, stating, "Naming Metacarcinus magister as official state crustacean of California will promote appreciation, study, and education of Dungeness crab in this state, as both an environmental and economic commodity." Meanwhile, Wood himself has been shelling out puns on his social media, asking for some snappy crab jokes to lighten the mood while his proposed legislation scuttles its way through the halls of Sacramento.
