Management for a Sustainable Harvest:

The Oregon Dungeness crab fishery is one of the few remaining 'state managed' fisheries in the country. While more complicated fisheries are regulated under Federal Fisheries Management Plans (FMP's) by regional management councils, the Dungeness crab fishery in Oregon is managed by the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife (ODFW) using a simple system known as the '3 S's' - Size, Sex & Season.

Size - Only mature male crabs measuring at least 6 ¼ inches across the back of the shell are harvested. Undersized male crabs are returned to the ocean to insure a healthy 'breed stock'.

Sex - ALL female crabs are released unharmed and return to the ocean floor, where they continue the mating cycle to insure healthy stocks and future harvests.

Season - The annual harvest begins each year on December 1, when the crabs are hard-shelled, full of meat and in their prime. The season closes on August 14th to minimize handling so that 'post molt', soft-shelled crabs can 'fill out' undisturbed.

This management method has served the resource well for decades and insures that the Dungeness fishery is truly sustainable.

Additional fishery & gear regulations:

Harvest methods in the Dungeness fishery are very 'targeted', resulting in little 'bycatch' mortality. Gear regulations are designed with conservation in mind. State law requires that each crab pot have two 'female escape rings' so that females, and undersized males, may exit at will. The lid closure of the pots must have a biodegradable component (cotton twine) so that pots lost during winter storms will eventually release the trapped crabs, virtually eliminating 'ghost fishing'. A weekly 'trip limit' goes into effect in early June through the end of the season, as a disincentive to all-out effort and the potential of handling mortality on soft, post-molt crabs. In 1996, with the backing of the commercial crab fleet, the state imposed a system of 'limited entry' in the Dungeness fishery to minimize the prospects of 'over-capitalization.' 450 crab permits were created, based on historic participation in the fishery. The fleet will never exceed that level. Crab fishermen have even entered into discussions to determine if a 'pot limit' would be in the best interest of the industry.

What are the Environmental Groups saying About Dungeness Crab?

The Dungeness crab fishery is among the select group of fisheries that made the "thumbs up", "green light" or "good choice" categories in ALL the recently published guides designed to help consumers make environmentally sound purchasing choices involving seafood. In Oregon we take pride in the sustainability of our crab fishery and continue to seek ways to insure that our hundred year plus history has an equally impressive future...

Monterey Bay Aquarium:
Seafood Watch Chart Best Choices -
"the Dungeness crab fishery is well-managed and healthy, only large male crabs may be caught and there is no fishing allowed during the breeding season"
Audubon Guide to Seafood (all crabs)
Management - "Mostly good, particularly for Dungeness Crab."
Population Status - "high"
Bycatch & Habitat Concerns - "Low for most species"

Natural Resource Defense Council: The Fish -The Story
The Good News - "Pacific Coast Dungeness crabs - using traps rather than bottom trawls to catch these delicious crabs results in fewer marine species being sacrificed. Sound management of this fishery has been effective protection against over fishing."

Environmental Defense: Which Fish is Best?
Best to Choose - "Crab - blue, Dungeness & stone"