Saving Seafood

Oregon considers new rules for crab

February 28, 2018 — As closures related to harmful marine toxins continue to plague Oregon’s lucrative commercial Dungeness crab fishery, new rules are under consideration that will help state fishery managers trace crab after it is caught and respond with more flexibility.

In April, the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission will consider making permanent several rules introduced this crab season. A related bill is working its way through the Legislature.

Right now, large swathes of the coast can get closed down due to high levels of toxins like domoic acid. The rule changes would narrow the areas to be closed if there is an increase in toxin levels, based on records that may be required as a result of the bill. It would also allow for more flexibility in evisceration orders, like the one in place along a portion of the southern coast where only crab with their guts removed can be sold.

Seafood businesses have to keep more detailed records on who they buy crab from, where it was harvested and who they sell it to this season — information the state said is “essential to support and strengthen crab traceability through the market chain.” The state also included measures to make biotoxin testing procedures and fishery management responses more transparent.

The state hopes to achieve two outcomes with these changes, said Caren Braby, marine resources program manager with the Department of Fish and Wildlife. Fishery managers want to protect consumers by making crabs more traceable as they travel from boats to processors and then to other buyers, but they don’t want to leave fishermen behind. They want to keep areas open when possible by modifying how crabs are processed and sold even when domoic acid levels are high.

“Our ultimate goal for Oregon is that if there’s a public safety issue, we deal with that first,” Braby said. “But the economic viability of the fishery and the economic support of coastal communities that harvest that crab is right up there as our second goal. Being able to do that as much as we possibly can, given we’ve taken care of our first goal, is to everybody’s benefit.”

Domoic acid can accumulate in a crab’s guts, but remove the guts and the crab meat is still good. Commercial crab caught from Cape Blanco to the Oregon-California border has been under an evisceration order since mid-February. Whole or live crab are not on the menu there for now.

Read the full story at the Daily Astorian

 

Oregon and Washington to Commence Dungeness Fishing January 4; No Word on California Yet

SEAFOODNEWS.COM by Susan Chambers — December 22, 2015 — After a month-long delay, Oregon and Washington fishermen will be able to start harvesting Dungeness crab in January. Crabbers will be able to set their gear on Jan. 1 and start delivering crab to processors on Jan. 4.

Domoic acid testing in early December in southern Oregon showed levels that were safe but trending upward so managers – with industry input – decided to delay the whole Oregon coast and southern Washington coast fishery.

Testing now shows the toxin trend is going down in not only crab but also in other fish and shellfish in both Oregon and Washington.

California crabbers, though, will remain tied to the dock for some time yet. Testing in California tends to be more sporadic and unscheduled. There is no clear date when the central California season or northern California season will open.

Some advisers on Oregon industry call with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Monday recommended Oregon open before Washington, even if by a few days. But the majority recommended opening at the same time. Earlier in the month, Washington delayed its season in cooperation with Oregon, they said. Others reasoned that if both states opened concurrently, it might provide consumers with added confidence that Dungeness crab are toxin-free.

“Along with the state agencies, the Oregon commercial Dungeness crab industry has taken a very proactive and precautionary approach to the opening of this crab season in the interest of public safety,” ODFW Marine Resources Program Manager Caren Braby said.

Washington’s commercial fishery opening includes the waters from the mouth of the Columbia River north to Destruction Island as well as Grays Harbor and Willapa Bay. Crabbers can set their pots in this area on Jan. 1. The area north of Destruction Island will open later in coordination with tribal co-managers.

As the season gets underway, state agencies will continue to monitor marine biotoxins in shellfish to ensure the concentrations remain below the alert level to ensure the consumer safety.

State-supervised price negotiations between fishermen and processors are set for Dec. 22 and possibly Dec. 23 as well.

Some processors said after the industry conference call that they likely would eviscerate and section most of the crab coming in during the first part of the season and shift to whole-cooked crab later.

A few fishermen were concerned no live buyers were on the Oregon call to add perspective about the live market and what would happen if further testing shows an increase in domoic acid after the season starts.

This story originally appeared on SeafoodNews.com, a subscription site. It has been reprinted with permission.