"When it comes to the fruits of the sea, few are so prized as a good Dungeness crab. These meaty crustaceans are a fixture of autumn and winter tables up and down the West Coast. Dungeness crab is a favorite for Thanksgiving menus, and Christmas dinners alike, often replacing the turkey and ham typical in other places. But the commercial season for these crustaceans is variable and has been shifting considerably in recent years."
"If you include all of the fisheries along the West Coast, the commercial harvest of this prized seafood typically runs throughout the entire year. In any one specific location, however, there is an on-season and an off-season. For example, in Southeast Alaska the typical fall season begins in early October and runs through February, with another shorter season occurring in the summer months. The Kodiak region, on the other hand, has a season that runs from May through December."
"But Alaska is a long way off for most residents of the U.S., and we all love to support local industries and celebrate the foods that make our home unique. Depending on the fishery, local crabbing seasons are quite different. For example, a typical California Dungeness season gets started in mid-November and runs until around late June. This start date has been delayed many times in recent years, though."
Dungeness crab are prized, meaty crustaceans commonly eaten across the West Coast during autumn and winter. Commercial harvesting varies by location and year, and combined fisheries create a continuous west-coast harvest across the calendar. Individual fisheries maintain on- and off-seasons: Southeast Alaska typically runs fall season from early October through February plus a shorter summer season, while the Kodiak region runs from May through December. Local seasons differ; a typical California season starts mid-November and runs to late June. Recent years have seen frequent delays to California's start date, with the current delay moving harvest into January 2026. Oregon and Washington also delayed seasons.
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