Folks looking forward to eating crab this holiday season shouldn't be disappointed this year.
Early testing of the mature crab off the Oregon coast has shown that the crab coming up in pots – especially off the central coast – are meaty and within range of meeting criteria set by the Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife by the start of the season.
In testing conducted earlier this week, the crab from near Newport is the most dense with meat, and should be well over the fill standard by Dec. 1. The rest of the five test spots along the coast will be evaluated again in early November.
Commission Executive Director Nick Furman said it's important to allow the crab to grow enough within their shells so that every Oregon crab people eat is memorable. If they're not ready, the season's start could be delayed, he said.
To read the rest of the story, please go to: The Daily Astorian (Oregon).