Oregon’s commercial Dungeness crab season is set to open December 31st.
The commercial crab season was set to open December 1st. But tests showed the crustaceans didn’t have enough meat in them. So the season was delayed so the crabs could fatten up, making sure consumers would be happy and to avoid wasting the valuable resource.
Fishermen can begin setting their crab gear in the ocean on Saturday, December 28th. Then they can head back out on Tuesday, December 31st to pull up their crab pots.
Dungeness crab is Oregon’s most valuable fishery. During last year’s season, crabbers brought in 18.7 million pounds, worth $66.7 million. It’s also a dangerous occupation, with fishermen facing rough seas that can capsize boats.
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