This year’s commercial Dungeness crab season typically starts at the beginning of December. But that’s been put off by at least two weeks.
In agreement with neighboring Washington and California, commercial crabbers will wait until at least December 16th to harvest the prized crustaceans.
Troy Buell is Oregon’s state fishery management program leader. He says sampling of Dungeness crab earlier this month shows they’re below the desired meat yield level of 24 percent.
“Y’know I think processors and buyers would like to see it as high as possible, which it can get up to 25, 26, 27 percent when you have a really full crab," Buell explained. "But those are the criteria that we’ve agreed upon with the industry, with the other two states for opening the season.”
Domoic acid levels were also measured, and at last check were at safe levels for human consumption.
Roughly 20 million pounds’ worth of Dungeness crabs were harvested last season, valued at $66 million.
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