U.S. Rep. Jackie Speier, D-San Mateo participated in the traditional blessing of the salmon fleet at Pillar Point Harbor Monday afternoon with Charise McHugh, president of the Half Moon Bay Chamber of Commerce, left, and Duncan MacLean, a commercial fisherman who runs the Barbara Faye, at grill. The sport salmon season opened April 7 and the commercial season opens May 1. For more than 100 years, it has been a West Coast tradition to bless salmon fishing boats to wish the fleet success and safety during the salmon fishing season. Half Moon Bay is currently the only Bay Area port where commercial fishing boats sell salmon directly to the public and the 2012 salmon season is expected to be the biggest since 2005. 

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