Ocean Commercial Dungeness Crab Season Remains Closed in Oregon

The ocean commercial Dungeness crab season remains closed in Oregon as round two of preseason testing is showing crabs are too low in meat yield in some areas.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said elevated domoic acid is still being detected in some crab viscera, and round three of crab meat yield and biotoxin testing is to occur in coming weeks. Those test results will help determine if the season will open Dec. 31 or is further delayed or split into areas with different opening dates.

The season was targeted to begin on Dec. 1 but can be delayed so that consumers get a high-quality product and crab are not wasted, according to the ODFW.

Oregon, California and Washington coordinate Dungeness crab quality testing and the commercial season opening dates. California and Washington are also delaying their commercial seasons until at least Dec. 31.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife tests crab from Oregon’s six major crabbing ports in partnership with the Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission, Oregon Department of Agriculture and the commercial Dungeness crab industry.

A history of Oregon’s commercial crab landings is available online at the Fish and Wildlife Department’s website:  https://www.dfw.state.or.us/MRP/shellfish/commercial/crab/landings.asp.

Source: https://fishermensnews.com/ocean-commercial-dungeness-crab-season-remains-closed-in-oregon/