Spiny crab fishing season has begun in northern Japan

This type of king crab is found in the waters off the coast of the Nemuro Peninsula in eastern Hokkaido. When cooked, the crab turns bright red and has a rich flavor. Three vessels landed their first catch of crabs with shells measuring about 10cm wide at the port of Hanasaki on Thursday, a day after the city's crab season opened. The total catch was about 400 kg, which is only one tenth of last year's first catch. At auction, the crabs sold for about $24 per kilogram, up about 20% from last year. Noting that the catch was small, one of the fishermen said that he now hopes for a larger catch. The number of Hanasaki crabs landed in the city of Nemuro in recent ...