Effective immediately, the Oregon Department of Agriculture (ODA) and ODFW have closed all recreational crabbing (ocean, bays, and estuaries) from eight miles north of Winchester Bay (43° 47' at Tahkenitch Creek) to Cape Blanco (42°50'). Recent test results show domoic acid, a marine toxin, is above the human health closure limit.
Commercial crabbers will be required to eviscerate any commercial crab landed since last Thursday in the area off Coos Bay (harvest area I) and starting today for buffer harvest areas off Winchester Bay and down to Cape Blanco (harvest areas H and J). Check the commercial updates page for more information.
ODA tests for shellfish toxins twice per month, as tides and weather permit. Reopening an area closed for biotoxins requires two consecutive tests with results below the closure limit.
Domoic acid is produced by algae and originates in the ocean. It is recommended that recreational crab harvesters also always eviscerate crab before cooking. This includes removing and discarding the viscera, internal organs and gills.
Always call ODA's shellfish biotoxin safety hotline at (800)448-2474 or visit their webpage before crabbing to get the latest information on closures, https://www.oregon.gov/oda/programs/foodsafety/shellfish/pages/shellfishclosures.aspx
For more information on recreational crabbing visit https://myodfw.com/crabbing-clamming.
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