The U.S. state of Oregon is set to open the Northern half of the state to commercial Dungeness crab harvesting on 15 January after a new round of testing showed crabs were meeting optimal commercial harvest criteria.
Initially slated to open on 1 December, Oregon officials opted to delay the season due to low meat levels in preseason testing. The southern portion of the state, from Cape Falcon south to the California border, opened to commercial harvesting 16 December 2024.
Washington has faced a similar delay, although Washington officials have yet to announce when its commercial Dungeness crab season will finally start. Last month, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) charged a man for illegally harvesting Dungeness crab while the commercial season was delayed.
To the South, California was also forced to delay its commercial Dungeness crab season due to the presence of whales, which risk being entangled in the vertical lines used by crab harvesters. Set to start in November 2024, California only opened the southern portion of its state to commercial Dungeness crab harvesting on 5 January, albeit with a 50 percent trap reduction. The two northern fishing zones are set to open 15 January.
Fair start provisions prohibit fishers that begin harvesting in an area that is opened earlier than others from harvesting in delayed areas until at least 30 days after they are opened.
