Commercial Dungeness crab fishing to open Jan. 15 from Cape Falcon to Klipsan Beach

Oregon – The commercial Dungeness crab fishing season will open on January 15 from Cape Falcon, Oregon, to Klipsan Beach, Washington, following the fourth round of preseason testing in Long Beach, Washington.

The tests confirmed that the crab meat fill now meets the optimal commercial harvest criteria.

Originally targeted to open on December 1, the season was delayed to ensure that consumers receive high-quality products and to prevent waste.

Oregon’s ocean commercial Dungeness crab season began on December 16 from Cape Falcon to the California border.

However, the season’s start was postponed in some areas due to preseason testing results.

These tests indicated that crabs had insufficient meat yield in four regions and that elevated levels of domoic acid were found in crab viscera in two areas along the southern coast.

The January 15 opening marks a return to the commercial fishery for the region, with the season now progressing as scheduled.