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Toxin Delays Start of Oregon's Dungeness Crab Season

WA Fish & Wildlife

Oregon officials have decided to delay the start of commercial crab season after dangerous toxin levels were found in crabs. Oregon and Washington are joining California which had already delayed the November 15th start of its season.

Officials say elevated levels of domoic acid were found in crabs in all three states. It's produced by a massive bloom of microscopic algae that's caused by warming ocean conditions.
Oregon on Friday delayed the December 1 start along the entire coast, and Washington officials delayed the season start for the central coast.
Dungeness crabs are popular at Thanksgiving and other holiday meals. In 2014, the industry harvested nearly $170 million worth of dungeness crab.
Officials say crabs sold in stores and restaurants remain safe to eat.
 

Rachael McDonald is KLCC’s host for All Things Considered on weekday afternoons. She also is the editor of the KLCC Extra, the daily digital newspaper. Rachael has a BA in English from the University of Oregon. She started out in public radio as a newsroom volunteer at KLCC in 2000.
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