72 Microseasons of the Pacific Northwest

Dungeness crab (Metacarcinus magister) is the Pacific Northwest's most commercially valuable wild seafood species, and the coastal season opening in mid-to-late January is one of the region's most anticipated natural and cultural events. Named for Dungeness Spit on Washington's Olympic Peninsula — a premier crabbing location since Coast Salish peoples harvested them at low tide — these large, sweet-fleshed crabs reach 6–8 inches across the carapace at maturity. The commercial season opening sends fleets of boats from Westport, Astoria, Newport, Ilwaco, and other coastal ports out to string their round wire pots in nearshore waters from 60–600 feet deep. From docks and jetties at Westport, Ilwaco, or the Newport bayfront in Oregon, visitors can watch crab boats returning with their first loads. Crabs are recognizable by their distinctive fan-shaped carapace with nine spines along each side and their characteristic sideways scuttle. In shallow bays and intertidal zones — especially in Hood Canal and the northern Puget Sound — recreational crabbers wade at low tide or lower rings from docks to catch crabs by hand or trap. Ecologically, Dungeness crabs occupy a key predator-prey position in nearshore food webs. Juveniles settle in eelgrass beds and rocky intertidal zones, where they are preyed upon by large flatfish, dogfish, and seabirds. Adults in turn consume clams, mussels, small fish, and worms. The commercial and recreational crab seasons also attract harbor seals and sea otters at crab-rich locations, creating reliable wildlife viewing opportunities around working waterfronts.