Commercial crabbing underway off Washington, Oregon coasts

SEATTLE (AP) — Commercial Dungeness crabbing is underway along the Washington and Oregon coasts after being delayed for a month because of a marine toxin.

Washington coastal shellfish manager Dan Ayres said Tuesday that the commercial crab fishery opened Monday along much Washington's coast. Crabbing north of Destruction Island is tentatively scheduled to open Jan. 15. Commercial crabbing is also open along the entire Oregon coast.

Ayres says he has received reports of a lot of crab coming in and of happy crab fishermen. He says that the crabs are safe to eat after testing showed low levels of domoic acid.

Shellfish managers have also scheduled razor clam digs on some beaches.

Last year, the Dungeness crab fishery was valued at about $50 million off the Oregon Coast, and $61 million off of Washington.