Recreation Report
Marine Zone
Regulation Updates
Regulation updates as of Nov. 20, 2020
These are in-season regulation changes adopted on a temporary or emergency basis. Please see e-regulations for permanent regulations.
DUNGENESS CRAB
- Recreational crabbing is open in bays and estuaries, and on beaches, docks, piers, and jetties along the entire Oregon coast from the Columbia River to the California border.
- Recreational crabbing is closed in the ocean from Oct. 16 through Nov. 30.
- For recreational crab harvesters, it is recommended that crab always be eviscerated prior to cooking, which includes removal and discard of the viscera, internal organs, and gills.
- Because of Oregon’s precautionary management of biotoxins, the crab and shellfish products currently being sold in retail markets and restaurants are safe for consumers.
- Before clamming or crabbing, call ODA’s shellfish safety information hotline at (800) 448-2474 or visit the ODA shellfish safety closures web page at: http://ODA.direct/ShellfishClosures
- The consumption of crab viscera is not recommended.
Effective Jan. 1, 2020, recreational crabbers will need to mark all floating surface buoys with the owner’s full name or business name and at least one of the following: phone number, permanent address, ODFW Angler ID number, or vessel identification number. Mark your information in a clear, legible, and permanent manner. While this rule does not apply to gear tied to docks, piers, jetties, or beaches, we recommend marking buoys on any gear that could become derelict or lost. Find more information here.
RAZOR CLAMS
- The entire Oregon coast is now closed to razor clamming.
MUSSELS
- Mussel harvest is now open along the entire Oregon coast.
Recreation Report
If there’s not a photo, it didn’t happen
Submit your fishing photo to ODFW and we might use it here or elsewhere on MyODFW.com.
Free Fishing Weekend
This Saturday and Sunday (Feb. 13-14) is Free Fishing Weekend in Oregon. That means you can fish, crab or clam anywhere in Oregon – anywhere that’s open to fishing, crabbing and clamming – with no license, endorsements or validations needed.
COVID-19 and Harvesting Shellfish
ODFW recognizes that we are facing extraordinary times and urges all citizens to take extra precautions to keep yourself, your family, and the entire community of Oregon healthy.
This is the time of year when morning low tides and improving weather typically bring visitors from throughout Oregon and beyond to the coast to harvest clams. Our local bays and ocean also receive many crabbers. We recognize that travel at this time should be done with careful, serious consideration given to your health, and the health of the receiving community.
Think about these actions in common spaces associated with harvesting fish and shellfish such as docks, piers, beaches, boat ramps, and fish and boat cleaning stations that are open.
Please keep yourself and samplers safe.
ODFW Samplers (aka fish checkers) will be at the docks, piers, and boat launches in a number of locations along the coast. In order to maintain their safety and the angling public we are striving to maintain a minimum of 6 ft. of distance at all times, and the ODFW samplers will be wearing masks. We appreciate your assistance and patience in maintaining the distancing and providing your clams and crab for inspection in a safe manner.
Thank you for taking the extra efforts that are required at this time!
CRABBING AND CLAMMING UPDATES
BAY CLAMS
During fall and winter, low tides generally occur in the evening. While you can still harvest clams, make sure you are familiar with the area before venturing out on the mudflats in the dark. Stay safe by clamming with a buddy, bringing a light, and keeping an eye on the tide.
Check out the Where to Clam articles for places to find bay clams. You can also get more clamming maps here.
Always call the ODA shellfish safety hotline at 1-800-448-2474 or ODA shellfish closures website before harvesting for the most current information about shellfish safety closures.
RAZOR CLAMS
The recreational harvest of razor clams is CLOSED from the Columbia River to the California border. ODA recommends you discard and do not eat any razor clams dug from these areas on or since Monday, Nov. 16 as this is when samples were dug.
CRABS
Effective Jan. 1, 2020, recreational crabbers must mark all floating surface buoys with a name and other identifying information. See more information in the Regulation updates section above. While this rule does not apply to gear tied to docks, piers, jetties or beaches, we recommend marking buoys on any gear that could become derelict or lost. Find more information here.
Crabbing reports for each bay are not available year-round. As they are available during the year, updates will be posted below.
In addition to Dungeness crab, another Oregon native present in some of Oregon’s estuaries is the red rock crab. Look for them in larger bays with jetties and other rocky habitats. Crabbers can retain 24 red rock crabs of any sex or size. There have also been higher numbers of Pacific rock crab in Yaquina Bay. This crab counts as your “Other” shellfish, which has a daily bag limit of 10 in aggregate with other species that fall in this category (see page 82 of the fishing synopsis for more details). While they look very similar to red rock crab, their long antennae and large claws distinguish them; they sometimes have spots on their abdomen.
Some crabbers in estuaries may also encounter non-native European green crab in their catch this year. While they look similar to Oregon’s native shore crabs, identify them by the three prominent bumps between the eyes and 5 spines down the side of the carapace. They are not always green and color is not a good identifying feature. The daily catch limit for European green crab also falls in the “Other shellfish” category and is 10 in aggregate with other species that fall in this category (see page 82 of the fishing synopsis for more details). European green crab can be any size or sex.
MUSSELS
The entire Oregon coast is now open to mussel harvest.
Always check for closures at the ODA Shellfish Safety page before clamming or crabbing. http://ODA.direct/ShellfishClosures.