The Dungeness crab 2024-25 coastal fishery from Cape Falcon, Oregon, to the U.S./Canadian border has been delayed until at least Jan. 15.

On Monday, Tri-State policy representatives from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW), and the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) agreed to the delay. The section of Oregon coast from Cape Falcon to the Oregon/California border opened Dec. 16.

Vessels that participate in the Dungeness crab fishery south of Cape Falcon may only deliver into the ports of Ilwaco and Chinook until further notice. Participants in the area south of Cape Falcon should note ODFW closed area transit allowance requirements if delivering into these Washington ports.

The decision to delay is based on crab condition tests conducted by WDFW that indicate shell condition and meat recovery within the Long Beach Test Area do not currently meet the minimum meat recovery criteria as defined in the Tri-State Dungeness Crab Pre-Season Testing Protocols (23% north of Cascade Head and 24% south of Cascade Head).

WDFW will be exercising the option to conduct a fourth test within the Long Beach Test Area before Jan. 7, and will provide additional information regarding the season opening as soon as possible. If this area meets 23% meat recovery in a fourth round of testing, the area from Cape Falco to Klipsan Beach (including Willapa Bay) will open Jan. 15.

The stations in the Westport test area were completed on Dec. 16 (with a 23.2% meat recovery), and in the Long Beach test area on Dec. 20, the meat recovery level was 22.1%.

If you have any questions pertaining to this notice, contact Jamie Fuller at Jamie.Fuller@dfw.wa.gov or 360- 580-0875 or Matt George at Matthew.George@dfw.wa.gov or 360-640-1066.