November 22, 2024 2:50 a.m.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife has announced that the states commercial Dungeness crab season is delayed coastwide until at least December 16th.

An ODFW release said pre-season testing shows Dungeness crabs are too low in meat yield in some ocean areas and have elevated domoic acid in crab viscera in two areas on the south coast.

Targeted to open December 1st, Oregon’s ocean commercial Dungeness crab season can be delayed so consumers get a high-quality product and crabs are not wasted.

The commercial bay crab fishery closes on December 1st in conjunction with the delayed ocean commercial season. The commercial bay crab season runs through December 31st but will only reopen in December if the ocean commercial season does so.

The next round of crab meat yield and biotoxin testing will occur in the coming weeks. Results will determine if the season opens December 16th or is further delayed or split into areas with different opening dates.

ODFW tests crabs out of Oregon’s six major crabbing ports in partnership with the Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission, Oregon Department of Agriculture, and the commercial Dungeness crab industry.

Weekly season opening updates are posted until the decision to open the season is made: https://www.dfw.state.or.us/