OAR 635-005-0465: Closed Season in Pacific Ocean and Columbia River

Edition: Current OARD snapshotEffective: 2025-12-19Last verified: 2026-09-07

(1) It is unlawful to take, land or possess Dungeness crab for commercial purposes from the Pacific Ocean or Columbia River from August 15 through December 1, 08:59 AM. (2) The season opening for the commercial Ocean Dungeness crab fishery may be delayed in one or more fishing zones based on the results of crab quality testing. The Pre-season Testing Protocol for the Tri-State Coastal Dungeness crab Commercial Fishery (hereafter, “Tri-State Protocol”) specifies the process for establishing fishing zones (section VI) and coordinating the opening of the fishery in Washington, Oregon, and California north of Point Arena (sections IV and V). Therefore, the following sections of the Tri-State Protocol (July 2024) are hereby incorporated into Oregon Administrative Rule by reference: (a) Section IV – Season Opening Criteria. (b) Section V – Test Fishing and Process for Setting the Season Opening Date. (c) Section VI – Procedure for Establishing Fishing Zones. As used in the Tri-State Protocol “fishing” means any operation of Dungeness crab fishing gear to take, possess on board, or land Dungeness crab for commercial purposes, except setting Dungeness crab gear for another vessel as allowed per OAR 635-005-0405(1). In the event that crab quality tests do not meet the criteria for opening the season on December 1, the Director shall adopt temporary rules delaying the season in accordance with the Tri-State Protocol. (3) It is unlawful to land, receive or buy, Dungeness crab in the first thirty days of the ocean Dungeness crab fishery from a vessel that has not been certified by officials of the State of Oregon, Washington, or California to have been free of Dungeness crab before fishing in the ocean Dungeness crab fishery. In the event the area between Gray’s Harbor, Washington and Point Arena, California is divided into zones with different season opening dates, the ocean Dungeness crab fishery refers to the fishery in that zone for the purposes of this rule. (4) In the event the area between Gray’s Harbor, Washington and Point Arena, California is divided into zones with different season opening dates, the transfer of a permit from one vessel to another is suspended from the earliest season opening date through thirty days after the latest season opening date, except in the event a vessel is unintentionally destroyed due to fire, capsizing, sinking, or other event. (5) Upon a determination by the Department that catch in Oregon's ocean Dungeness crab fishery after May 31 is greater than ten percent of the catch in the previous December 1 through May 31 period, the Director shall adopt a temporary rule closing the commercial season until the following December 1. [Publications: Publications referenced are available from the Department.]

Official history and status

Statutory/Other Authority: ORS 506.119

Statutes/Other Implemented: ORS 506.109 & ORS 506.129

History: DFW 109-2025, temporary amend filed 12/19/2025, effective 12/19/2025 through 03/31/2026 DFW 108-2025, temporary amend filed 12/05/2025, effective 12/05/2025 through 03/31/2026 DFW 106-2025, temporary amend filed 11/21/2025, effective 11/27/2025 through 03/31/2026 DFW 3-2025, temporary amend filed 01/07/2025, effective 01/11/2025 through 03/31/2025 DFW 105-2024, temporary amend filed 12/06/2024, effective 12/12/2024 through 03/31/2025 DFW 104-2024, temporary amend filed 11/20/2024, effective 11/27/2024 through 03/31/2025 DFW 79-2024, amend filed 09/16/2024, effective 09/16/2024 DFW 5-2024, temporary amend filed 01/23/2024, effective 01/28/2024 through 03/31/2024 DFW 118-2023, temporary amend filed 12/21/2023, effective 12/27/2023 through 03/31/2024 DFW 115-2023, temporary amend filed 12/11/2023, effective 12/12/2023 through 03/31/2024 DFW 113-2023, temporary amend filed 11/21/2023, effective 11/27/2023 through 03/31/2024 DFW 112-2023, minor correction filed 11/20/2023, effective 11/20/2023 DFW 7-2023, temporary amend filed 01/26/2023, effective 01/26/2023 through 03/31/2023 DFW 2-2023, temporary amend filed 01/06/2023, effective 01/06/2023 through 03/31/2023 DFW 150-2022, temporary amend filed 11/18/2022, effective 12/01/2022 through 03/31/2023 DFW 8-2021, temporary amend filed 02/08/2021, effective 02/08/2021 through 02/15/2021 DFW 151-2020, temporary amend filed 12/09/2020, effective 12/09/2020 through 02/15/2021 DFW 148-2020, temporary amend filed 11/19/2020, effective 11/20/2020 through 02/15/2021 DFW 131-2020, amend filed 09/25/2020, effective 09/25/2020 DFW 181-2019, temporary amend filed 12/20/2019, effective 12/20/2019 through 02/15/2020 DFW 167-2019, temporary amend filed 11/14/2019, effective 11/16/2019 through 02/15/2020 DFW 166-2019, temporary amend filed 11/13/2019, effective 11/13/2019 through 11/15/2019 DFW 149-2019, amend filed 09/30/2019, effective 10/01/2019 DFW 57-2019, temporary amend filed 05/10/2019, effective 07/23/2019 through 08/15/2019 DFW 56-2019, temporary amend filed 05/10/2019, effective 05/10/2019 through 07/22/2019 DFW 20-2019, temporary amend filed 02/14/2019, effective 04/01/2019 through 07/22/2019 DFW 19-2019, temporary amend filed 02/14/2019, effective 02/16/2019 through 03/31/2019 DFW 18-2019, temporary amend filed 02/14/2019, effective 02/14/2019 through 02/15/2019 DFW 15-2019, temporary amend filed 01/31/2019, effective 04/01/2019 through 07/22/2019 DFW 14-2019, temporary amend filed 01/31/2019, effective 02/16/2019 through 03/31/2019 DFW 13-2019, temporary amend filed 01/31/2019, effective 01/31/2019 through 02/15/2019 DFW 9-2019, temporary amend filed 01/24/2019, effective 04/01/2019 through 07/22/2019 DFW 8-2019, temporary amend filed 01/24/2019, effective 02/16/2019 through 03/31/2019 DFW 7-2019, temporary amend filed 01/24/2019, effective 01/24/2019 through 02/15/2019 DFW 191-2018, temporary amend filed 12/31/2018, effective 02/16/2019 through 03/31/2019 DFW 190-2018, temporary amend filed 12/31/2018, effective 12/31/2018 through 02/15/2019 DFW 176-2018, temporary amend filed 11/14/2018, effective 11/14/2018 through 02/15/2019 DFW 23-2018, temporary amend filed 02/16/2018, effective 05/16/2018 through 07/09/2018 DFW 22-2018, temporary amend filed 02/16/2018, effective 02/16/2018 through 05/15/2018 DFW 14-2018, temporary amend filed 02/02/2018, effective 05/16/2018 through 07/09/2018 DFW 13-2018, temporary amend filed 02/02/2018, effective 02/02/2018 through 05/15/2018 DFW 4-2018, temporary amend filed 01/11/2018, effective 05/16/2018 through 07/09/2018 DFW 3-2018, temporary amend filed 01/11/2018, effective 01/11/2018 through 05/15/2018 DFW 146-2017, temporary amend filed 11/16/2017, effective 11/17/2017 through 05/15/2018 DFW 12-2017(Temp), f. & cert. ef. 2-10-17 thru 8-8-17 DFW 11-2017(Temp), f. & cert. ef 2-8-17 thru 8-5-17 DFW 8-2017(Temp), f. & cert. ef. 2-2-17 thru 7-31-17 DFW 152-2016(Temp), f. & cert. ef. 12-22-16 thru 6-19-17 DFW 150-2016(Temp), f. 12-13-16, cert. ef. 12-18-16 thru 6-15-17 DFW 146-2016(Temp), f. & cert. ef. 11-23-16 thru 5-21-17 DFW 166-2015(Temp), f. 12-29-15, cert. ef. 1-1-16 thru 6-28-16 DFW 157-2015(Temp), f. & cert. ef. 11-20-15 thru 1-31-16 DFW 150-2015, f. & cert. ef. 10-29-15 DFW 157-2014(Temp), f. 11-24-14, cert. ef. 11-25-14 thru 5-23-15 DFW 113-2014, f. 8-5-14, cert. ef. 8-15-14 DFW 129-2013(Temp), f. 11-25-13, cert. ef. 12-1-13 thru 12-31-13 DFW 118-2013, f. 10-11-13, cert. ef. 10-15-13 DFW 146-2012(Temp), f. 12-11-12, cert. ef. 12-12-12 thru 6-9-13 DFW 145-2012(Temp), f. 11-14-12, cert. ef. 12-1-12 thru 12-31-12 DFW 76-2012, f. 6-28-12, cert. ef. 7-1-12, Renumbered from 635-005-0045 DFW 37-2012, f. 4-24-12, cert. ef. 5-1-12 DFW 156-2011(Temp), f. 12-9-11, cert. ef. 12-15-11 thru 1-31-12 DFW 155-2011(Temp), f. 11-18-11, cert. ef. 12-1-11 thru 12-31-11 DFW 161-2010(Temp), f. 12-9-10, cert. ef. 12-10-10 thru 2-16-11 DFW 142-2008, f. & cert. ef. 11-21-08 DFW 140-2005(Temp), f. 12-12-05, cert. ef. 12-30-05 thru 5-31-06 DFW 129-2005(Temp), f. & cert. ef. 11-29-05 thru 12-31-05 DFW 132-2004(Temp), f. & cert ef. 12-30-04 thru 3-1-05 DFW 126-2004(Temp), f. & cert. ef. 12-21-04 thru 3-1-05 DFW 116-2004(Temp), f. & cert. ef. 12-8-04 thru 3-1-05 DFW 113-2004(Temp), f. 11-23-04, cert. ef. 12-1-04 thru 3-1-05 DFW 117-2003(Temp), f. 11-25-03, cert. ef. 12-1-03 thru 2-29-04 Suspended by DFW 133-2002(Temp), f. & cert. ef. 12-6-02 thru 1-31-03 DFW 132-2002(Temp), f. & cert. ef. 11-25-02 thru 1-31-03 DFW 129-2002(Temp), f. & cert. ef. 11-20-02 thru 1-31-03 DFW 128-2002(Temp), f. & cert. ef. 11-15-02 thru 1-31-03 DFW 39-2002, f. & cert. ef. 4-26-02 DFW 77-2000(Temp), f. 11-27-00, cert. ef. 12-1-00 thru 12-14-00 DFW 70-2000, f. & cert. ef. 10-23-00 DFW 40-1999, f. & cert. ef. 5-26-99 DFW 54-1998(Temp), f. & cert. ef. 7-24-98 thru 9-15-98 DFW 51-1998(Temp), f. 6-29-98, cert. ef. 7-1-98 thru 9-15-98 FWC 1-1996(Temp), f. 1-11-96, cert. ef. 1-13-96 FWC 89-1995(Temp), f. 11-28-95, cert. ef. 12-1-95 FWC 89-1994(Temp), f. & cert. ef. 12-1-94 FWC 88-1994(Temp), f. 11-30-94, cert. ef. 12-1-94 FWC 70-1993, f. 11-9-93, cert. ef. 11-11-93 FWC 112-1992, f. 10-26-92, cert. ef. 11-1-92 FWC 135-1991(Temp), f. 12-10-91, cert. ef. 12-11-91 FWC 119-1989(Temp), f. 11-29-89, cert. ef. 12-1-89 FWC 102-1988, f. 11-29-88, cert. ef. 12-29-88 FWC 102-1988, f. 11-29-88, cert. ef. 12-29-88 FWC 97-1987(Temp), f. & cert. ef. 11-17-87 FWC 36-1987, f. & cert. ef. 7-1-87 FWC 78-1986(Temp), f. & cert. ef. 12-1-86 FWC 30-1985, f. 6-27-85, cert. ef. 7-1-85 FWC 45-1984, f. & cert. ef. 8-30-84 FWC 11-1984, f. 3-30-84, cert. ef. 9-16-84 FWC 39-1983(Temp), f. & cert. ef. 8-31-83 FWC 13-1983, f. & ef. 3-24-83 FWC 56-1982, f. & ef. 8-27-82 FWC 30-1985, f. 6-27-1985, cert. ef. 7-1-85, Renumbered from 625-010-0155, 635-036-0125 FWC 132-1977, f. & cert. ef. 8-4-77 FWC 30-1975, f. & cert. ef. 11-28-75 FC 293-1975, f. 6-23-75, cert. ef. 7-11-75 FC 285-1974, f. 11-27-74, cert. ef. 12-25-74 FC 246-1972, f. 5-5-72, cert. ef. 5-15-72

This rule cites

Cited by

Official source: https://secure.sos.state.or.us/oard/