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Don't Fire Up The Kettle Yet...Dungeness Crab Season Delayed Until Year's End

David Parker
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Flickr.com

If you were hoping to serve Oregon Dungeness Crab at your New Year’s celebration, you’ll want to change the menu. State officials have announced a nearly one-month delay in the commercial crabbing season. KLCC’s Brian Bull reports.

Recent testing across the Tri-State region shows crabs aren’t really meaty yet.  And some sampled between Cape Blanco to the California border showed elevated levels of domoic acid.

Credit Oregon Dept. of Fish & Wildlife / Flickr.com
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Flickr.com
Dungeness crabs in captivity.

Troy Buell of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife explains why it’s important to monitor for this.

“Domoic acid is a neurotoxin that can cause amnesic shellfish poisoning.  And it is important to ensure that all the seafood supply coming from the ocean to consumers in the marketplace is safe.”

The season was set to open December 1st, but now is delayed until the 31st.  But further testing will determine if Dungeness Crab season needs to be delayed further.  Last year, 23 million pounds’ worth of the crustacean was landed in Oregon.

Copyright 2018, KLCC.

Brian Bull is an assistant professor of journalism at the University of Oregon, and remains a contributor to the KLCC news department. He began working with KLCC in June 2016.   In his 27+ years as a public media journalist, he's worked at NPR, Twin Cities Public Television, South Dakota Public Broadcasting, Wisconsin Public Radio, and ideastream in Cleveland. His reporting has netted dozens of accolades, including four national Edward R. Murrow Awards (22 regional),  the Ohio Associated Press' Best Reporter Award, Best Radio Reporter from  the Native American Journalists Association, and the PRNDI/NEFE Award for Excellence in Consumer Finance Reporting.
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