Dungeness Crab Fisheries & Biotoxins

Informational Report

Caren BrabyODFW Marine Resources Program Manager

Image: NOAA (July 2015)

Stephanie PageODA Food Safety Program Director

Outline

• Biotoxins sources & detection

• Biotoxin events and crab fishery impacts

• 2016-2017 season recap

• Planning future management actions

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Biotoxin Type: Paralytic

Shellfish

Poisoning (PSP)

Amnesic

Shellfish

Poisoning (ASP)

Diarrhetic

Shellfish

Poisoning (DSP)

Microscopic

Phytoplankton:

Caused by: Dinoflagellate

Alexandrium spp.

Diatom

Pseudo-nitzschia

spp.

Dinoflagellate

Dinophysis spp.

Toxin Produced: Saxitoxin

(Neurotoxin)

Domoic Acid

(Neurotoxin)

Okadaic Acid

(Cytotoxin)

Alert Action Level: ≥ 80 µg/100g tissue ≥ 20 ppm in tissue

≥ 30 ppm in viscera

≥ 16 µg/100g

tissue

Marine Biotoxins along the West Coast

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Types of Marine Biotoxin Monitoring

Shellfish Sampling & Tissue

Regulatory Biotoxin Testing

Phytoplankton/Water

Monitoring

(Fish & Wildlife Agencies)

• Crab testing

– Pre-season

– In-season

• Clam/mussel testing

– Year-round

• No permanent program

to monitor in OR

• Research/Federal/State

collaboration

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HABs & West Coast Shellfish Closures

2015

West Coast Dungeness Crab Season Delayed

Dec 2015

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Oregon/WashingtonDungeness Crab Season Delayed

Dec 2016

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OregonIn-Season Domoic Acid Detection

Feb 2017

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Current Biotoxin Regulatory Framework

• Food & Drug Administration, domoic acid:

– ≥ 30 ppm in viscera, ≥ 20 ppm in tissue

• Oregon Department of Agriculture

– Advises ODFW to open/close fisheries

– Crab Sampling Protocol:

• Pre-season test, in-season tests when needed (elevated levels)

• 1 sample over threshold (1 crab) requires action

• 2 subsequent clean tests required to reverse action

– Samples taken 7 days apart – 14 days minimum

– Management action – evisceration or closure

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2016-2017 Season

• Season start delay

– Industry recommended conservative coastwide

delay, to protect consumer faith in product

– Split opener

• Coos Bay-CA Border (12/18/16)

• Coos Bay-WA (1/1/17)

– Fishing further delayed by price negotiations to 1/9/17

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2016-2017 Season

• In-season detection

– Collected: 1/25/17 (North of Coos Bay)

– Results: 1/31/17 (36 ppm; 6 ppm over)

• Management response

– Rules for soft closure (close over 7 days) (2/2/17)

• Effective date 2/10/17

• Gear to remain in non-fishing state (open, unbaited)

– Rules for extended use of evisceration (2/8/17)

– Rules for unrestricted harvest (2/10/17)

• 2nd clean test, full reopening

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Impacts of management action

• Costs to industry ($$$)

– Evisceration required for inventoried product

– At-sea work required to run gear

– Live crab wastage

• Confusing requirements for industry

response

– Regulatory intent, enforceability and industry

logistics were at odds

– Tracking seafood vs. recall

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Planning future management action

• Crab Biotoxin Rules Advisory Committee

– ODA, ODFW, ODCC collaborative process

– June 20, July 20, Aug 15 meetings

– Advise on ODA rules, mirrored ODFW rules

– Goal: Allow fishing when biotoxins are present,

by specifying how to protect public health first

• Rules (or temporary rules) in place for

December 2017 season start

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West Coast

Pseudo-nitzschia

cell counts

May 2017

• Bloom has started this

year both offshore and

on beach

• Warm water (2017-

2018 El Nino) will

facilitate blooms

• HABs/biotoxins will be

a “normal” part of

crab/shellfish

management in future

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Questions?

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Rules Advisory Committee Members

Name Affiliation Port

Andrew Bornstein Bornstein Seafoods Astoria

Cari Brandberg Living Pacific Seafood; Chelsea Rose Seafood Newport

Robert Browning FV Lady Lee Garibaldi

John Corbin FV Buck & Ann; FV Southeast Astoria

Holly Dahl BC Fisheries Brookings

Scott Kastengren FV Sunset Charge Astoria

Mike Lane FV Morning Star Charleston

Brian Nolte FV Dynamik Brookings

Joel Purkey FV Alice Faye Port Orford

Dave Wright Pacific Seafood Newport

Justin Yager FV Eddie & Rod; FV Sarah Belle Newport

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