Crab Ethics

Crabbing Ethics

Crab for the future. Crabbers should be eager to release soft shell crabs because not only do soft shell crabs yield very little meat the quality of the meat is very low compared to quality of the meat from hard shell crabs. The meat from soft shell crabs has been described as watery, mushy and lacking in texture. Dissatisfaction with the crab meat from soft shell crabs results with the crab being discarded. Identifying soft shell crabs in easy to do. Soft shell crabs like the one shown on the left in the first photo below weigh less and are lighter in color than their hard shell counterparts shown on the right

The Cheek Test is the best method to identify recently molted crabs. Pick up the crab from the back as shown in second photo and turn it upside down and isolate the walking legs with the right hand.

Carefully push the "elbow" of the claw towards the mouth of the crab, exposing the shell that is usually covered by the folded claw as shown in the third photo. “Gently” squeeze the cheek with your thumb and middle finger as shown in the forth photo.

If the shell flexes or bends release the pressure and return the crab carefully to the water. Squeezing the large center section of the first walking leg to determine if the crabs are hard shell crabs is an option preferred by some crabbers. If the leg gives while being squeezed return the crab to the water.

RED ROCK CRAB BIAS

Red red crab bias is based on misinformation of the uninformed. Both species of red rock crabs are native to the Pacific Northwest. Red rock crabs get a bad rap because the are more difficult to pick than Dungeness crabs. But the effort is worth the reward as shown in the photos below. The flesh of red rock crabs taste sweeter than Dungeness crabs. The crab melt shown on the right was made using crab meat from the the 7 picked red rock crabs shown on the left. If you are fortunate to get into large red rock crabs take the time to pick them clean and enjoy some fine dinning. Bill

OREGON REGULATION SUMMARY

Regulations, limits and/or open areas may change. Call ODFW for current information.

License Requirements:

All persons 14 years or older must have in possession a valid Oregon 4. shellfish license to take any shellfish for personal use, Except during “Free Fishing Weekend” • (June 6-7, 2009) when no license is required;

Catch and Possession Limits: The term catch and daily limits are confusing and ODFW seemingly interchanges their use. As far as I can determine the catch and daily limit refer the same thing. They both refer to the taking of the daily limit of shellfish in the field. The possession limit is: 2 daily limits for all species.

Catch and possession limits apply to all waters and across Zone boundaries and apply to all fish and shellfish in possession regardless of condition. This includes fish and shellfish which are fresh, and when lawful, frozen, canned, smoked or otherwise processed. Daily Limit: Maximum number of fish or shellfish which may be legally caught and reduced to possession in one day. An angler may take daily limits of several types of fish per day.

Daily Limit: Daily Limit: Maximum number of fish or shellfish which may be legally caught and reduced to possession in one day.

Possession Limit: Maximum number or amount of a type of fish or shellfish that a person may lawfully possess in the field or forest, or in transit to the place of permanent residence. The possession limit is: 2 daily limits for all species,

Size Limit: It is unlawful to take or have in possession any fish or shellfish that are smaller than the minimum size or larger than the maximum size limits. All undersized, oversized, prohibited species or unwanted fish or shellfish taken must be immediately released unharmed and should not be removed from the water.

Definitions:

In the Field, Forest or Transit: Anywhere other than a permanent residence.

Shellfish:: Abalone, clams, crabs, crayfish, mussels, oysters, piddocks, scallops, shrimp and other marine invertebrates with shells.

Take: To kill, reduce to possession or control.

REGULATIONS FOR SOME MARINE SHELLFISH AND INVERTEBRATES

The following summarized regulations apply to the Pacific Ocean, coastal bays, and beaches. For complete information, Sport Fishing Regulations books may be obtained at ODFW offices and wherever licenses are sold.

OPEN SEASON: Entire year and at all hours. Exceptions are listed under Harvest Methods and Restrictions” in the table below, and except when any state agency has issued a public health advisory. To learn about current health advisories, contact Oregon Dept. of Agriculture, 800-448-2474.

OPEN AREAS: All areas are open except Marine Gardens, Research Reserves, Habitat Refuges, and Shellfish Preserves. These areas have signs indicating their locations and are listed and mapped in the Sport Fishing Regulations book.

UNLAWFUL TO:

1. Waste fish, shellfish or marine invertebrates.

2. Use chemicals to take fish, shellfish or marine invertebrates.

3. Assist in the harvest of another person’s catch except under a Disabled Clam Digger Permit or a Permanent Disabilities Permit. See the ODFW for regulations governing the responsibilities of the disabled clam diggers.

4. Sell any sport caught fish or shellfish, except the skeletal remains of nongame marine fish.

Species	Daily limit	Harvest method and restrictions
Razor clams	First 15 taken	SHELLFISH LICENSE REQUIRED May be taken by hand or hand-powered tools. Clatsop County beaches north of Tillamook Head closed to razor clams July 15 -September 30. Razor clams may be taken by hand, shovel, or cylindrical gun or tube. The opening of the gun/tube must be either circular or elliptical with the circular gun/tube opening having a minimum outside diameter of 4 inches and the elliptical gun/tube opening having a minimum outside diameter dimension of 4 inches long and 3 inches wide. Unlawful to remove clams from the shell before leaving the harvest area. Each digger must have their own container, dig own clam, and may not possess more than one limit of clams while in the harvest area except under a Disabled Clam Digging Permit. Unbroken butter, cockle, or littleneck clams may be returned only in immediate harvest area. All other clams must be retained regardless of size or condition.
Bay clams Butter, Littleneck, Cockle, Geoduck and Gaper.	20 clams, of which only 12 in aggregate may be gaper clams or geoduck clams.
Softshell and others (e.g. purple varnish)	First 36 taken.
Red rock crab	24 crabs, any size or sex	SHELLFISH LICENSE REQUIRED Bays, estuaries, beaches, tide pools, piers and jetties open all year. Ocean closed for Dungeness crab October 16 – November 30. May be taken using crab rings, pots, or baited lines (Limited to 3 rings, pots or lines per person); or by hand, dip net, or rake. Size is measured in a straight line across the back (caliper measurement) immediately in front of, but not including the points. Undersize and female Dungeness crabs and unwanted crabs must be immediately released unharmed. No more than 2 daily catch limits of Dungeness crabs (24) or red rock crabs (48) may be kept in a trap or live box. Holding devices prohibited in Pacific Ocean. Crabs may not be mutilated so that sex, size or species cannot be determined prior to landing. Mutilated crabs may not be transported across state waters.
Dungeness crab	12 male crabs, minimum size 5 ¾ inches
Oysters	no take allowed	Harvest of native oysters prohibited. All cultured oysters are private property and may not be taken without the owner’s permission
Mussels	72	SHELLFISH LICENSE REQUIRED May be taken by hand or hand-powered tools. A special permit is required from ODFW to harvest mud and ghost shrimp by mechanical methods.
Piddocks	36
Mud and ghost shrimp (bait)	No limit
Octopus	1 per day	SHELLFISH LICENSE NOT REQUIRED May be taken by angling, dipnet, pot and hand.
Sand crabs, Mole crabs, Kelp worms and Sand worms	No limit	SHELLFISH LICENSE NOT REQUIRED May be taken by hand or hand powered tools. Unwanted marine invertebrates must be released alive.
All other marine invertebrates (urchins, chitons, snails, shore crabs, anemones, sea stars, and similar animals)	10 in aggregate

To give the clams or crabs you have taken to another person you are required to give the other person a Fish and Wildlife Transfer Record of the transfer of the clam and/or crabs.

TRANSFER OF FISH AND SHELLFISH TO ANOTHER PERSON

Fish and shellfish (whole or parts, including fish eggs) which have been taken for personal use and then given or shipped to another person must be accompanied by the following information or you may complete the Fish and Wildlife Transfer Record below:

1. Kind and number of fish or shellfish;

2. Date caught;

3. Name, address, angling license or shellfish license number and Combined

Harvest or Hatchery Harvest tag number (if applicable) of the person who

caught them.

The above information must also be provided to the wholesale fish or bait dealer when eggs from ocean-caught salmon are sold.

FISH AND WILDLIFE TRANSFER RECORD

Person transferring fish or wildlife

Name: Phone:

Address:

License #:

Location/Date:

Describe the species being transferred by recording the number of shellfish being transferred :

Razor Clams . Mussels . Cockles . Gaper Clams . Softshell Clams . Butter Clams . Littleneck or Manila Clams . Purple Varnish Clams . Macoma Clams . Piddocks Clams . Other shellfish and invertebrates . Dungeness Crabs . Red Rock Crabs . Parts . To record parts of clams or crabs being transferred enter the number of of clams or crabs being transferred in the appropriate box and check Parts ..

Transferred to Name: Phone:

Address:

Return to Oregon's Crabs.