Dungeness Crab

The final two stretches of Oregon’s coast will open for commercial Dungeness crab fishing this week. But there may be a special requirement.

The 2022 Dungeness crab season was the most lucrative in Oregon history. Unusually for recent years, it started on time, yields were high and prices soared, leading to a boon for commercial crabbers and the coastal communities that depend on them.

The opening of Oregon's most valuable commercial fishery will be delayed after testing showed some crabs don't have enough meat in them and others have elevated levels of the toxin domoic acid.

Crabbers are reaping the benefits.

Haggling over the opening price was the sticking point between processors and fishermen — which ultimately could be traced to COVID-19 and the evaporation of restaurant sales.

Elevated marine toxin levels have prompted closures of both recreational and commercial crab fisheries across much of the state

The Dec. 1 commercial Dungeness crab season has been delayed until at least Dec. 16 for the entire Oregon Coast because testing shows crabs are too low in meat yield.

As this year’s Dungeness crab fishery approaches, so does the risk of whale entanglements in crab gear.