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December 20, 2023
NEWPORT, Ore. – Beginning Dec. 31, Cape Foulweather (just south of Depoe Bay) to Cape Falcon (Oswald State Park) opens to commercial Dungeness crab fishing.
Pre-season testing shows crab meat yield remains too low to open commercial crab fishing from Cape Falcon to the Washington border. The next round of crab meat yield testing will help determine if this area can open Jan. 15, or Feb. 1, 2024, in coordination with southern Washington.
Targeted to open Dec. 1, Oregon's ocean commercial Dungeness crab season can be delayed or partially opened so consumers get a high-quality product and crabs are not wasted. This year's season was partially opened from Cape Foulweather to the California border on Dec. 16 after a delay due to low meat yield in some coastal areas.
ODFW tests crabs out of Oregon's six major crabbing ports in partnership with the Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission, Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA), and the commercial Dungeness crab industry.
Weekly season opening updates are posted online until the decision to fully open the season is made.
Oregon, California and Washington coordinate Dungeness crab quality testing and the commercial season opening dates. A history of Oregon's commercial crab landings is available online.
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