Oregon’s commercial Dungeness crab season is delayed coastwide until at least Dec. 16, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife announced today.
Oregon Dungeness crab met both meat and safe biotoxin level requirements; however, the season is delayed as Long Beach, WA crabs have not yet met the meat fill requirement. Most Dungeness crab advisory committee members support the delay as it is least disruptive to traditional fishing patterns and may improve market conditions.
Washington will test crab again and if meat fill in Long Beach crab meets the required 23 percent, the season will open Dec. 16. If meat fill is less than 23 percent, ODFW will consider a partial opening south of Cape Falcon with fleet input and the Tri-State decision process.
When the Oregon season does open, it will be under a fleet advisory that fishing vessels should be vigilant and move or avoid setting gear in areas where whales are foraging or transiting to minimize risk of entanglement.
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. It can also be delayed to have an orderly opening in conjunction with California and Washington.
Weekly season opening updates are posted online until the decision to open the season is made.
Commercial bay crab fishery
The commercial bay crab fishery closes at 12:01 a.m. Dec. 1 in conjunction with the delayed ocean commercial season. It will reopen through December if the ocean commercial season does so.
Recreational crab fishery
The recreational ocean Dungeness crab season is slated to reopen Dec. 1. Recreational crab harvesting in bays, estuaries, and on beaches, docks, piers, and jetties is currently open coastwide. Recreational crabbers should always call the Shellfish Hotline (800-448-2474) or visit the ODA Recreational Shellfish Biotoxin Closures webpage before crabbing. And remember to mark your gear if you’re crabbing in the ocean and bays.
