California Department of Fish and Wildlife officers cited 11 people for illegally taking Dungeness crabs at Thornton State Beach on the northern Daly City coast, the agency announced Friday.
A concerned resident reported groups using lights in the surf to take crabs, KRON4 reported.
The citations were for taking Dungeness crab out of season, taking undersized crabs and taking over the limit. Officers seized 95 crabs as evidence and returned them all to the ocean, Bay City News reported via Patch.
Why it matters: Recreational Dungeness crab season was set to open for most of California on Saturday, according to KRON4. The commercial season has been delayed by whale entanglement concerns.
CDFW asks anyone who sees a wildlife crime in progress to call its CalTIP line at 888-334-2258.
Related: Dungeness crab season delays explained.