Low Meat Equals Continued Delays To Commercial Dungeness Crab Season

The ocean commercial Dungeness crab season remains closed as round two of pre-season testing shows crabs remain too low in meat yield in some areas. Elevated domoic acid is still detected in some crab viscera (guts). Round three of crab meat yield and biotoxin testing will occur in the coming weeks. Results help determine if the season opens Dec. 31 or is further delayed or split into areas with different opening dates.

Targeted to open Dec. 1, Oregon's ocean commercial Dungeness crab season can be delayed so consumers get a high-quality product and crabs are not wasted. Oregon, California and Washington coordinate Dungeness crab quality testing and the commercial season opening dates. California and Washington also are delaying their commercial seasons until at least Dec. 31. Tri-state crab quality testing protocol is available online.

ODFW tests crabs out of Oregon's six major crabbing ports in partnership with the Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission, Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA), and the commercial Dungeness crab industry. A history of Oregon's commercial crab landings is available online.

Visit the ODA Commercial Crab Biotoxin webpage for biotoxin information.