Crabbing operations are essentially independent small businesses.

Going into November, the crab looked good and fishery managers in Oregon and Washington were hopeful about a Dec. 1 opener for the season.

Now the commercial Dungeness crab season will be delayed along the entire Oregon coast due to concerns about high levels of the marine toxin domoic acid in crab viscera (the guts) in some areas of the coast, and the likelihood of levels rising in other areas.

Even though Washington has not seen the same high levels of domoic acid this time around, state fishery managers there (in consultation with the state’s Department of Health) have decided to also delay the start of the fishery on Washington’s southern coast.

“We’re taking extra precautions due to the high volume of crab typically caught within the first weeks of the commercial opening,” said Dan Ayres, coastal shellfish manager for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, on Tuesday. “We want people to feel confident the crab they buy is safe to eat.”

This morning, he clarified that crab already on the market is safe to eat and, in Washington, is likely coming from tribal fishermen such as the Quinault who began fishing Monday. All that crab has consistently tested well, he said.

“We were a little concerned when we saw the Oregon results. Some of the crab with higher levels came from deeper depths than we had sampled,” Ayres said about the Washington fishery.

The department plans to conduct another round of sampling at a variety of depths early next week.

Crabbing is also open in several Puget Sound marine areas, where marine toxins in crabs have not been an issue, and in southern California.

After consulting with the Oregon Department of Agriculture, Oregon’s commercial Dungeness crab industry and Washington and California’s fish and wildlife departments, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said it is exercising an “abundance of caution” by delaying an opener on the Oregon coast.

“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 produced when they purchase Oregon Dungeness crab,” said Caren Braby, marine resource program manager with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, in a statement Tuesday.

Recent testing in the Garibaldi area showed domoic acid in crab viscera was above thresholds set by the Oregon Department of Agriculture.

All recreational and commercial harvest of Dungeness and red rock crab in Oregon’s bays is currently closed south of Tillamook Head (just south of Seaside) due to elevated levels of domoic acid. Future openers will be decided pending additional domoic acid testing.

A commercial opener in the rest of California, however, is still set to take place on Dec. 1 as of Nov. 23. Fishermen there are hoping to make up for last season’s disastrous losses. Dominic acid shut down most of that season and fishermen weren’t even able to set pots until May of this year.

Dominic acid (or amnesic shellfish toxin) is a naturally-occurring marine toxin that can cause minor to severe illness and even death. Severe poisoning can result in dizziness, headaches, vomiting and diarrhea. More severe cases can result in memory loss and death. Toxins cannot be removed by cooking, freezing or any other treatment.