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Commercial crab fishing season opening weekly updates
In accordance with the Tri-State protocol (revised May 2020, pdf) pre-season testing in Oregon will begin in early November. Meat recovery and biotoxin results from the test fishery will be used as a basis for deciding the crab season opening date(s). In partnership with the Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission and the commercial Dungeness crab industry, ODFW collects and tests crab out of the six major crabbing ports in Oregon. Weekly testing updates, along with information about season opening status will be posted below. Weekly updates will be provided until the decision to open the season is made.
This week volunteer captains and crews are collecting crab for meat recovery from the 6 Oregon crab harvest areas that did not meet Tri-State meat recovery criteria. Tri-State area meat recovery results will be posted on this page just above this table when they are available.
We plan to convene an Oregon Dungeness Crab Advisory Committee meeting on 12/4/23 at 10:30AM to discuss season opening options. If you are interested in getting added to the interested parties email distribution list for this group, including getting meeting notices, please email Kelly.C.Corbett@odfw.oregon.gov.
11/17 - Friday
Today there was a Tri-State agreement to delay the ocean commercial Dungeness crab season from Point Arena, California to the US/Canada border until at least December 16. This delay will allow completion of additional testing for meat recovery. See industry notice posted above and news release posted here.
We are still looking for captains to help with testing in Astoria and Garibaldi. If you are interested in volunteering, please give Kelly Corbett (541-270-5083) a call to discuss as soon as possible.
11/16 - Thursday
All of round 1 Tri-State preseason meat recovery results are posted above. All crab domoic acid results will be posted on Oregon Department of Agriculture's website here.
We plan to convene an Oregon Dungeness Crab Advisory Committee meeting on 11/17/23 at 1PM to discuss season opening options. If you are interested in getting added to the interested parties email distribution list for this group, including getting meeting notices, please email Kelly.C.Corbett@odfw.oregon.gov.
We plan to announce the first 2023-24 season opening decision by Monday 11/20/23.
11/9 - Thursday
Starting 11/7/23 volunteer captains and crews collected crab for meat recovery and domoic acid from 8 crab harvest areas (A, B, C, D, E, F, K and L). Two vessels are planning to get out early next week to collect crab from the remaining 4 harvest areas (G, H, I and J).
Tri-State area meat recovery results are posted on this page just above this table when they are available, including round 1 K and L results. All crab domoic acid results will be posted on Oregon Department of Agriculture's website here.
11/2 - Wednesday
Volunteer boats are lined up coastwide to collect crab for meat recovery and domoic acid from all 12 crab harvest areas starting this upcoming weekend, weather permitting. To ensure testing protocols are followed we are planning to have onboard observers for all gear retrieval trips.
Tri-State area meat recovery results will be posted on this page just above this table when they are available. All crab domoic acid results will be posted on Oregon Department of Agriculture's website here.
If you are interested in volunteering to participate in subsequent rounds of testing if they are needed, please give Kelly Corbett (541-270-5083) a call to discuss as soon as possible.
10/17 – Wednesday
We are lining up volunteer captains/boats coastwide to collect crab for meat recovery and domoic acid from all 12 crab harvest areas targeting the week of Nov 7, weather permitting. We plan for onboard observers for all gear retrieval trips to ensure testing protocols are followed.
Tri-State area meat recovery results will be posted on this page just above this table when they are available. All crab domoic acid results are posted on Oregon Department of Agriculture's website here.
If interested in volunteering to participate in preseason testing, please give Kelly Corbett (541-270-5083) a call to discuss.
4034 Fairview Industrial Drive SE :: Salem, OR 97302 :: Main Phone (503) 947-6000 or (800) 720-ODFW [6339]
Do you have a question or comment for ODFW? Contact ODFW's Public Service Representative at: odfw.info@odfw.oregon.gov
Share your opinion or comments on a Fish and Wildlife Commission issue at: odfw.commission@odfw.oregon.gov
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