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SEAFOOD INDUSTRY Tests show progress toward lifting of Dungeness closure Comment By Mark Freeman Mail Tribune Follow @@MTwriterFreeman MailTribune.com By Mark Freeman Mail Tribune Follow @@MTwriterFreeman Posted Nov. 25, 2015 at 5:10 PM By Mark Freeman Mail Tribune Follow @@MTwriterFreeman Posted Nov. 25, 2015 at 5:10 PM » Social News Sport-crabbers could be back on South Coast bays in less than two weeks, and the state's commercial crabbing fleet is eyeing a Dec. 15 opener after new tests on Dungeness crab show that levels of domoic acid that closed the fisheries are now falling, authorities said. But all eyes are on Monday's results of Dungeness samples taken last weekend for Brookings and Port Orford to see whether they mirror crab in Coos and Winchester bays as dropping beneath health-alert levels or whether they join Northern California ports still seeing potentially unhealthy domoic acid levels. "That's what everyone's hoping for," said Matt Hunter, the shellfish project leader for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife in Astoria. "Once we get the Port Orford and Brookings samples next week, that will set in stone what we're looking at. "But without those results, all bets could be off really quickly," Hunter said. Sport crabbing south of Heceta Head near Yahats has been closed since Nov. 13 and the commercial season set to start Dec. 1 already has been delayed. More samples for testing are planned statewide this weekend. With two full favorable tests needed at least a week apart to lift the closure, the earliest the South Coast recreational crabbing season could resume bay crabbing appears to be the week of Dec. 7, Hunter said. Typically, the bays are open year-round and the ocean opens to sport crabbers in December after a 45-day closure while the crabs regrow after molting. That's why sport crabbers could resume quickly after the testing concludes that the crabs are safe. The commercial fleet typically needs about an extra week to get an initial landing price set, get their boats going and set their pots before they start pulling them on opening day. "Unofficially, everyone's eyeing Dec. 15," said Rod Moore, senior policy adviser for the West Coast Seafood Processors Association. At issue, Moore said, also will be whether the states of Oregon, California and Washington want to wait until the entire West Coast is green-lighted for domoic acid levels before starting the commercial season or do split openers like they did as recently as 2012. "There's going to be a lot of thinking about that by the entire industry," Moore said. Oregon crab lovers, who often tap Dungeness for Christmas and other holiday-time feasts, have grown accustomed to late starts to the commercial season while they await meat levels to meet minimum thresholds to guarantee excellent taste and meat content. The season didn't begin until Dec. 15 in 2013, and slow meat-recovery rates triggered a coastwide delay until Dec. 31 in 2012. In 2011, the Oregon Coast from the Columbia River south to Gold Beach opened Dec. 15, but the south coast ports of Gold Beach and Brookings did not open that year until Jan. 15. Ironically, this year's meat-fill levels are excellent, Hunter said. In fact, the meat-fill levels could be a reason the domoic levels of Oregon Dungeness are dropping, Hunter said. The domoic acid is a toxin produced by algae and has been found at high levels in razor clams along the Oregon Coast this year. Dungeness crabs collect the acid by eating razor clams. Since the meat content is so high now in Dungeness, the crabs could be eating fewer razor clams so they are accumulating less of the domoic acid, Hunter said. Domoic acid, or amnesic shellfish toxin, can cause minor to severe illness and even death, according to the ODFW. Severe poisoning can result in dizziness, headaches, vomiting and diarrhea, the agency said. More severe cases can result in memory loss and death. The toxins cannot be removed by cooking or freezing the crabs. Reach reporter Mark Freeman at 541-776-4470 or [email protected] . Follow him at www.twitter.com/MTwriterFreeman . By Mark Freeman Mail Tribune Follow @@MTwriterFreeman MailTribune.com By Mark Freeman Mail Tribune Follow @@MTwriterFreeman Posted Nov. 25, 2015 at 5:10 PM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. 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