The decision comes after pre-season testing revealed two issues: low meat yields in some ocean areas and elevated domoic acid levels in the crabs’ digestive systems in parts of the south coast. These findings prompted the delay to ensure consumers receive a high-quality product and to avoid wasting this treasured resource.
In addition, the commercial bay crab fishery—which is currently open from Cape Blanco to the Washington border—will close at 12:01 a.m. on December 1, 2024. Although this fishery typically runs through the end of December, it will only reopen if the ocean commercial season begins before the end of the year.
ODFW will conduct the next round of crab meat yield and biotoxin testing in the coming weeks. The results will determine whether or not the season opens on December 16, 2024. Depending on the outcomes, the season could also open in stages, with different areas starting at different times. The 2023-24 Dungeness crab season faced similar delays due to low meat yields, eventually opening in stages. Despite the late start, commercial fishermen landed an impressive 24.7 million pounds of crab, valued at $93.6 million.
Testing is conducted in collaboration with the Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission, Oregon Department of Agriculture, and the commercial crab industry. These efforts involve crabs sampled from Oregon’s six major crabbing ports to ensure thorough and accurate results.
This delay ensures that Oregon’s prized Dungeness crabs meet the high-quality standards they’re known for and helps the fishery maintain a sustainable product for future generations of commercial fishers and consumers to enjoy.