Every commercial Dungeness crab boat in Oregon must carry electronic vessel monitoring equipment by Feb. 1, 2027, after the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission voted Friday, Aug. 14, at ODFW headquarters in Salem to adopt new rules aimed at reducing whale entanglements.
The decision, made at the state agency's Salem base where fishery policy is set for the entire Oregon coast, covers a fleet operating in a fishery worth $107.5 million in its most recent season, according to an industry economic report published by the Newport News Times. Dungeness crab historically accounts for about half of all Oregon fisheries' harvest value.
The monitoring devices must transmit location and other data at specified intervals, giving regulators near-real-time tracking of where crab boats operate relative to whale habitat. According to ODFW's announcement, the agency is pursuing federal funding to reimburse crabbers for equipment costs.
"There has been a steady march forward on this front in a positive and sustained way," Commission Vice Chair Becky Hatfield-Hyde said at the meeting.
Beyond monitoring, the commission adopted rules allowing experimental fishing gear permits that could let crab boats test alternative gear designs as early as spring 2027, aiming to further reduce the risk of whale entanglement.
Bear and cougar trap checks tightened
In a 6-1 vote, commissioners also approved new trap-check requirements effective Sept. 1. Traps set to capture bear or cougar under Oregon's damage or public nuisance statute must now be checked at least once every other calendar day, with no gap exceeding 56 hours. Traps remain a prohibited method during regular bear and cougar hunting seasons.
Salem volunteers honored
The commission recognized Arden Corey and the West Cascade chapter of Back Country Horsemen, based in Salem, with the Dave Liscia Volunteer Award. The group supports ODFW's high-lakes fish stocking program, delivering fish by horseback to remote high-elevation waters where timing is critical for survival.
The Feb. 1, 2027, compliance deadline gives crab boat operators roughly five months to install the required monitoring systems. ODFW has not announced a next meeting date for updates on the rollout.
