In consultation with the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA), the Oregon commercial crab industry, and California and Washington fishery managers, we are continuing to delay the opening of the commercial Dungeness crab fishery in the Pacific Ocean and Columbia River from Cape Falcon northward to the Washington border in order to coordinate an orderly start with the Washington coastal Dungeness crab fishery. The most recent samples of crab viscera from Oregon’s areas A, B and the Columbia River were all below the action level of 30ppm, see ODA results here. However, results from recent domoic acid testing of crab conducted by the state of Washington continue to exceed federally established thresholds for human health (see results here), and therefore Washington is delaying the coastal fishery until further testing is conducted.

Oregon’s harvest area 50-A (Cape Falcon to the OR/WA border) will remain closed beyond January 15. We plan to talk with industry advisors and Tri-State managers again next week once additional DA results are available from WA.

ODA will continue to regularly test crab viscera from all areas in Oregon that have razor clam domoic acid results above the alert level of 20ppm.

See ODFW's commercial crab season opening updates located here for more information.