Fishery: Oregon Dungeness Crab (Cancer magister)
Last Updated: 22 February 2007
Location:
Oregon, West Coast of the United States.
Fishing Method:
Dungeness crabs are caught in circular steel traps commonly called 'pots'. Dungeness crabs are kept alive in tanks until they are delivered to a shoreside processor. The average boat fishes 300 to 500 pots, in depths ranging from 30 to 600 feet of water.
Management:
The fishery is managed by the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission. The fishery is managed by the "3-S" system, which refers to size, sex and season. The strategy underlying this system is not to allow females to be landed, thus maintaining female breeding capacity, and to set a size limit on males so that there is adequate opportunity for mating before entering the fishery. Only mature male crabs measuring 6¼" or greater across the shell are harvested. The season closes in mid August during the post-molt period so that new-shell crabs can 'fill out' undisturbed. The fishery is also controlled through limited entry permits. About 350 vessels participate in the fishery annually and land on average 10 million pounds annually.
Main commercial market:
Dungeness crabs are primarily shipped live to world markets, with the United States bein the major market.
Assessment details:
The assessment process began in August 2004.
Client:
Hugh Link
Interim Administrator
Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission
PO Box 1160
964 Central Avenue
Coos Bay, Oregon 97420
USA
Tel. +1 541 267 5810
Fax. +1 541 267 5772
E-mail: hugh@oregondungeness.org
http://www.oregondungeness.org
Diane Moody, Markets & Information Director
ShoreBank Enterprise Pacific
203 Howerton WAy
Ilwaco
WA 98624
USA
Tel. +1 360 642 4265
E-mail: dmoody@sbpac.com
Certification Body:
Scientific Certification Systems (SCS)
2200 Powell Street
Suite 725
Emeryville,
CA 94608
U.S.A.
Tel: +1 650 969 1366
Fax: +1 650 969 4731
Contact: Dr Chet Chaffee
Email: chaffe3@attglobal.net
Website: www.scscertified.com
