SEAFOODNEWS.COM by Susan Chambers - December 8, 2015
While domoic acid levels in Dungeness crab have tested clear in Oregon and Washington, fishermen will not be setting their gear anytime soon.
Fishery managers in all three states discussed Monday a continued delay due to an upward trend of domoic acid in crab off the southern part of Oregon – despite all crab testing below any action level. Additional testing will be done as soon as possible.
“Oregon’s commercial crab industry and the department place a high priority on making sure that seafood consumers can be confident that they are buying a safe, high‐quality, and sustainable product when they purchase Oregon Dungeness crab,” Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife commercial crab project leader Kelly Corbett said in a press release.
ODFW will continue to work closely with the Oregon Department of Agriculture and the Oregon commercial Dungeness crab industry to test crab in the southern half of the state. In close coordination with ODA, fishery managers from Washington and California and the Oregon commercial Dungeness crab industry, ODFW plans to evaluate options for opening the commercial season once additional domoic acid test results are available.
Since Washington tested clear last week, Oregon industry leaders expressed concern Friday that Washington would open the southern stretch of coastline prior to Oregon...