December 5, 2024 9:30 a.m. 

Recreational crabbing is now open coastwide in all bays and the ocean, according to an announcement from the Oregon Department of Agriculture and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, on Wednesday.

A release said commercial bay crabbing remains closed coastwide in conjunction with the delayed ocean commercial season.

Two consecutive tests of crab samples indicate levels of the marine biotoxin domoic acid are below the safety threshold from Cape Blanco to California. This area has been closed to high levels of domoic acid since November 14th.

Before heading out to harvest any shellfish, call the Shellfish Safety Hotline at 1-800-448-2474 or visit the ODA Recreational Shellfish Biotoxin Closures Webpage: https://www.oregon.gov/oda/programs/foodsafety/shellfish/pages/shellfishclosures.aspx

Current recreation harvest closures and openings:

*Crabs are open coastwide

*Razor clams are open from the Washington border to Cascade Head but closed from Cascade Head to the California border

*Mussels are open coastwide

*Bay clams are open coastwide

In areas open to crab harvesting, it is always recommended that crab be eviscerated and the guts removed prior to cooking. This includes removal and discard of viscera, internal organs and gills. Toxins cannot be removed by cooking, freezing, or any other treatment.

ODA will continue testing for shellfish toxins at least twice per month, as tides and weather permit. Reopening an area closed for biotoxins requires two consecutive tests with results below the closure limit.

Complete information from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife is available at: https://myodfw.com/