Rare sight: millions of red crabs cover beach

MONTEREY, CA (KTRK) -- Monday, millions of pelagic red crabs washed ashore on Del Monte Beach in Monterey. This was a rare sight for beach goers, but bad news for fishermen.

"When I was a tuna fisherman we used to see them down south, and down south near the equator, down there that's a good sign to catch tuna, but up here seeing them it's not such a good sign," said Gaspar Catanzaro with the Monterey Fish Company.

These crabs like warm water and this past El Niño has kept the Monterey Bay warmer than usual. According to one climate expert, these conditions are preventing nutrient filled water to mix up to the surface.

This has damaged commercial squid season since it opened in April. KION reports that now fishermen are traveling farther north to find squid.

Fishermen hope to see squid back in the Monterey Bay no later than mid-June.