SIUSLAW NEWS ❚ SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2015
3 C
Crabbing for Dungeness may be delayed by domoic acid
SALEM — It’s that time of
year: Oregon Dungeness crab
fishermen are stacking their
pots near harbors and fixing
their boats, preparing for a sea-
son that usually starts in
December.
But this year, the catch
phrase is “domoic acid,” a nat-
urally occurring neurotoxin
that has plagued animals in
several areas of the West Coast,
thanks to an unusually large
algae bloom in the ocean.
Domoic acid can concentrate
in some fish and shellfish,
causing sickness in the animals
that eat them.
So what about us, the con-
sumers?
Dungeness crab currently
sold in supermarkets and
restaurants is safe. All that deli-
cious Dungeness Oregonians
love is OK because it is from
stock that was previously
frozen or sourced from areas
that have tested clean for
domoic acid.
“ O r e g o n ’ s
Dungeness crab indus-
try strives to bring con-
sumers the highest
quality product possi-
ble,” says Oregon
Dungeness
Crab
Commission Executive
Director Hugh Link.
“We want everyone to
enjoy the Dungeness
crab eating experience
and you can be assured
that product from
Oregon that reaches the
shelves has gone
through rigorous quali-
ty control.”
The
start
of
Oregon’s commercial
crab season may be delayed
due to a number of factors. For
example, in addition to testing
for domoic acid, Oregon offi-
cials and the industry test crab
for quality to ensure the crab
are full of meat.
Commercial crabbers will
have a delayed start to the
season, with hopes of
arriving with fresh crab
Dec. 1.
NED HICKSON/SIUSLAW NEWS
The Oregon Dungeness Crab
Commission,
fishermen,
processors,
Oregon
Department of Fish and
Wildlife
and
Oregon
Department of Agriculture
want to ensure the consumer
gets only the best crab on the
market.
“Our processors are commit-
ted to bringing you safe and
healthy seafood,” says West
Coast Seafood Processors
Association Senior Policy
Adviser
Rod
Moore.
“Consumers can rest assured
the crab they buy is safe to
eat.”
Oregon officials are in the
midst of testing crab for
domoic acid. These tests will
determine whether fishermen
will be returning to the docks
with fish holds full of crab on
Dec. 1.
But for now, enjoy that
Dungeness you just bought. It’s
safe. It’s sustainable. It’s deli-
cious.
“Spread those newspapers,
melt the butter, pour the wine
and prepare to crack our crab,”
Link says. “It’s an Oregon tra-
dition.”
Three Vikings receive
state, district honors
From left: Murray Bingham, Isaac Griffes and Jack Pickell
Three members of the
Viking boys cross country
team received league and state
honors at the end of the sea-
son.
Among them were Murray
Bingham, who was named
First Team All-League in the
Far West. Bingham also made
the Second Team All-State
roster with his 10th place fin-
ish at the state meet, where the
Viking boys placed ninth over-
all.
Isaac Griffes also made the
First Team All-League roster
in the Far West, along with
teammate Jack Pickell, who
was named Second Team All-
League in the Far West.
Mushrooms highlighted
at Cape Perpetua today
YACHATS — Summer
might have ended, but discov-
ery never ends on the Oregon
Coast. Autumn rains have ush-
ered in a bounty of mush-
rooms. Learn about them and
more during the season’s first
installment of the Winter
Discovery Series at 2 p.m.
today, Nov. 14, at the Cape
Perpetua Visitor Center, 2400
Highway 101, three miles
south of Yachats.
Mushroom forager and pho-
tographer Anna Moore will
discuss local mushroom
species and share knowledge
gained from 30 years of forag-
ing.
All presentations and guid-
ed walks are free, but a
Northwest
Forest
Pass,
Oregon Coast Pass or $5 day-
use fee is required within to
the Cape Perpetua Scenic
Area.
For more information, con-
tact the Cape Perpetua Visitor
Center at 541-547-3289.
PHOTOS BY NED HICKSON/SIUSLAW NEWS
Clockwise from top:
Siuslaw head coach Neil
Wartnik talks to his team in
preparation for next week;
junior returner Kainan Lane
listens to instructions; a
pair of wrestlers practice
moves on the mat after
fitness training.
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“A real gentleman with a
great work ethic,” says
Wartnik. “We’re excited to
have him wrestling in the mid-
dle-weight range for us.”
Senior 160-pounder Andrew
Tupua returns to the line-up
after a one-year absence from
the mats.
“Andrew brings a lot to the
team in terms of talent, but he
also is a charismatic leader,”
Wartnik says. “He can make a
huge difference for us in terms
of team chemistry.”
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Among the freshmen joining
the team this season are
Murray Bingham, who had a
stellar season for Siuslaw in
cross country with a 10th-place
finish at state individually, and
Matthew Morales, who comes
to the roster with wrestling
experience at the middle
school level.
“What the middle school
program is doing is incredible,
and it’s really adding a lot to
the program at the high school
level,” says Wartnik. “We’ll
just keep working hard and
doing the right things.
“It’s the way we do things
and it has always worked well
for us.”
2150 Hwy. 101 • Florence
(541) 997-3475 • 1-800-348-3475
Siuslaw
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