As crews along Washington’s coast splice rope, paint buoys, and stack their pots, the region’s commercial crab fleet is once again preparing for what the Chinook Observer calls the most prized fishery in the Pacific Northwest. According to an article published by the Observer on Nov. 16, the official start to the 2025 Washington commercial Dungeness crab season could come as early as Dec. 1 if the preseason test results for meat recovery and domoic acid meet the criteria.
The first round of tests delivered mixed results. Long Beach came close, but at 20.9 percent recovery on Nov. 3, it fell just shy of the 23 percent threshold required along the Washington and north Oregon Coasts. Other major test sites performed well above the cutoff: Astoria at 26.4 percent, Westport at 25 percent, and Garibaldi at 27.1 percent.
Shell hardness remains another hurdle. As of early November, 64.5 percent of crab tested in Long Beach and 61.5 percent in Westport were still at shell grade II, which means it’s too soft to be marketable, according to the Observer. Domoic acid levels, however, were barely detectable. A decision on the season opener is expected by Nov. 21.
Despite delays over the past few years, the fishery’s value remains strong. Washington commercial crabbers caught a record 24 million pounds in 2022, and last season brought in 12.1 million pounds commercially- more than 16 million when including tribal landings- with an ex-vessel value of $83.1 million, the second highest on record. Even with lower volume in 2025, the record opening price of $5.75 per pound helped fishermen stay afloat.
As Washington waits for test results and an opening date, one thing remains constant: the fleet's readiness for whatever the season brings.
