New Year's is Lane County's second biggest day for Dungeness crab sales, after Christmas Eve. Just two weeks into the season, the quality of the meat seems excellent.
At this time last year, Dungeness season hadn't yet started, so crab fishermen and salespeople have already had a happier holiday. Will Dickman works at Newman's Fish Market in Eugene. He says this year's crabs have healthy color and lots of meat:
Dickman: "They're coming in around two pounds nowadays, which is pretty good. I think last year we were seeing more like pound and a half at the most."
Dickman says because the season is early, the crabs are plentiful. For the next few weeks, their stores will restock every couple of days with fresh catches. As the winter wears on, they may be harder to find. That could lead to higher prices and perhaps lower quality.