The Dungeness crab is a staple of seafood cuisine and fisheries along the west coast of North America. With its sweet tender meat and iconic reddish-purple shell this crustacean has become a cultural and economic icon from California to Alaska. But what exactly is a Dungeness crab?
The Dungeness crab, scientifically known as Metacarcinus magister is a type of edible crab that inhabits nearshore waters from the Aleutian Islands in Alaska to Point Conception in Santa Barbara, California. It gets its common name from the port of Dungeness on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula where it was first commercially harvested.
Dungeness crabs have a distinct reddish-purple exoskeleton that can grow up to 10 inches wide. Their legs and claws are shorter compared to some other crab species. The meat from the legs, claws and shoulder area is prized for its sweet, mild and slightly nutty flavor.
Dungeness crabs are considered a delicacy and are an integral part of cuisine and culture along the Pacific coast. They are popularly enjoyed boiled grilled, baked or steamed and used in a variety of dishes from seafood stew to crab cakes.
Key Facts and Statistics About Dungeness Crabs
- Scientific name: Metacarcinus magister
- Other names: Dungies
- Lifespan: Up to 13 years, males around 4 years when caught
- Size: Up to 10 inches wide, minimum legal size limit typically 6.25 inches
- Weight: Up to 5 pounds
- Habitat: Sandy or muddy ocean floors, near eelgrass beds
- Depth range: Intertidal zone to 750 feet, abundant to 295 feet
- Diet: Clams, crustaceans, worms, small fish
- Predators: Seals, sea lions, octopuses, some fish, humans
- Fishery: Valued up to $54 million annually in California alone
- Fishing method: Baited wire cages/pots
Dungeness crabs are considered a keystone species and healthy populations indicate a robust coastal ecosystem. They have supported fisheries and communities for decades, but face potential threats from climate change and ocean acidification.
The Life Cycle of the Dungeness Crab
Dungeness crabs have a complex life cycle that takes them through several distinct phases as they grow and mature:
Larval Stages
- Eggs hatch into larvae which drift as zooplankton far offshore
- Go through 5 zoeal (larval molt) stages over 3-5 months
Settlement
- Larvae molt into megalopae and settle to the seafloor in nearshore habitats
Maturation
- Young juvenile crabs bury in the sediments
- Molt frequently, up to 6-7 times per year
- Reach maturity and legal size after 2-4 years
- Take part in annual mating after female molting
Reproduction
- Mating occurs when the female is soft-shelled after molting
- Males locate receptive females through pheromones
- Females can store sperm for up to 1.5 years before fertilizing eggs
- Females carry up to 2 million eggs externally until they hatch
Adult Stage
- Males and females molt once a year in summer and spring respectively
- Mature crabs live in benthic habitats like eelgrass beds
- Adults migrate offshore during winter to avoid storm waves
- Lifespan over 10 years, growth slows after reaching maturity
This complex life history allows the crabs to take advantage of different marine environments as they grow and reproduce.
Fishing for Dungeness Crab
Dungeness crab supports an economically important commercial fishery on the West Coast. They have been fished since the mid-1800s and landings now exceed 50 million pounds annually.
The crabs are caught using baited circular wire traps or pots that sit on the seafloor. Fishermen drop hundreds or thousands of pots, let them soak for several days, then return to pull up the pots and remove any crabs caught inside.
Regulations only allow male crabs larger than 6.25 inches to be retained, protecting younger and female crabs as future brood stock. Despite high harvesting rates, populations have remained stable due to this careful management.
Recreational fishermen also enjoy catching Dungeness crab using pots or ring nets, especially during the winter holidays. Crabbers should be sure to carefully follow all size, catch and gear regulations.
The Ecology and Habitat of Dungeness Crabs
Dungeness crabs prefer silty, sandy seafloor habitats often near eelgrass beds. They bury themselves for protection and burrow out to hunt food at night. Juveniles tend to inhabit bays and estuaries before migrating to deeper offshore waters as they mature.
These crabs are omnivorous generalists, feeding on a wide variety of prey including worms, fish, mollusks and even vegetation. Their strong claws allow them to pry open shells and break apart prey.
Dungeness crabs face predation from octopuses, fish, seabirds and marine mammals. Their main defense is hiding via burial and camouflage. Their shell and claws act as armor if confronted.
This species is considered a keystone organism in its habitat. It is an important food source for predators and helps cycle nutrients through the food chain. Dungeness crabs support the interconnected web of marine life on the seafloor.
Sustainability and Conservation Concerns
Dungeness crab fisheries are generally well managed through size limits, seasonal and area closures, pot limits and monitoring. However, potential issues include:
- Whale and sea turtle entanglements in fishing gear
- Impacts of climate change, marine heatwaves and ocean acidification
- Ghost fishing from lost/abandoned pots
- Population declines in certain areas
More research is needed to fully understand Dungeness crab biology and ecology in order to sustainably manage fisheries into the future. Consumers can support sustainability by purchasing crab caught using responsible methods.
The Unique Flavor and Culinary Uses of Dungeness Crab
Dungeness crab has tender white meat with a sweet, mild and slightly nutty flavor. About one quarter of the crab’s weight is edible meat located in the body, claws and legs. The shoulder meat in particular is prized.
Dungeness crab is incredibly versatile in the kitchen. It can be steamed, boiled, baked, grilled, roasted, sautéed or fried. The meat stands up well in pastas, salads, chowders, crab cakes and stuffings.
When preparing fresh crabs, they should first be cleaned by removing the top shell, gills and innards. The meat can then be removed and used in any recipe calling for lump or shredded crab.
This delicious sustainable seafood is a culinary joy for any lover of shellfish. Dungeness crab is a ubiquitous staple when visiting the Pacific coast.
The Significance of the Dungeness Crab Fishery
For over 150 years, Dungeness crab has supported livelihoods and communities up and down North America’s west coast. As a regionally iconic species, it holds economic, cultural and social importance.
- Provides income for thousands of multigenerational fishing families
- Accounts for millions in revenue for coastal states annually
- Supports seafood processors, distributors, restaurants and retailers
- Features in Native American diets and traditions for centuries
- Symbol of seasonal community festivals and events
- Crucial component of regional seafood cuisine and identity
From California to Alaska, Dungeness crab will continue to be cherished for generations to come. Sustainable management of the fishery is key to securing this iconic crustacean’s future.
Dungeness Crab – A West Coast Classic Here to Stay
With its brilliant red shell, succulent meat and importance to coastal ecosystems and economies, the Dungeness crab has become a staple of the Pacific seaboard. This fascinating crustacean supports fisheries and menus across thousands of miles and unites communities through shared cultural traditions. Protecting these crabs and managing their habitat will ensure that future generations can enjoy Dungeness crab just as much as we do today.
Alaska Department of Fish and Game
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Female Dungeness crab in Alaskan waters starve themselves during the six or more months during which they carry eggs. Perhaps because of this extended starvation period, Dungeness in Alaska produce eggs only every other year.
The Dungeness crab, Cancer magister/ syn. Metacarcinus magister, inhabits bays, estuaries, and the nearshore coast of Alaska. The species is named after one of its representative habitats––a shallow, sandy bay inside of Dungeness Spit on the south shore of the Straits of Juan de Fuca. It is widely distributed, and can be found as far north as the Aleutian Islands and as far south as Magdalena Bay, Mexico. This crab supports commercial personal use and sport fisheries in Alaska. The Dungeness crab is a decapod, related to shrimp, lobster, and other crab. It has a broad, oval body covered by a hard chitinous shell, four pairs of walking legs and a pair of claws. This species can be distinguished from other commercially important crab (king and Tanner crab) because its legs are much smaller and shorter in relation to its body size and because the dorsal surface of its carapace is smooth and spineless.
Size and Sex Determination
The legal measurement for Dungeness crab in Alaska is shoulder width, measured across the back of the carapace between the two notches immediately anterior to the tenth anterolateral spine, also known as “notch to notch”. Only male Dungeness crab may be taken and sex can be determined from the shape of the crab’s abdomen. Females have a slightly rounded abdomen while males have a triangle-shaped abdomen. This becomes very pronounced when females mature into their egg-bearing developmental stage but is slightly less obvious for younger stages. The legal size for Dungeness crab in Alaska is 6.5 inches notch to notch.
There are eight congeners (same genus) to the Dungeness crab. Several of these, the European edible crab, Cancer pagurus, Jonah crab, Cancer borealis, and Atlantic rock crab, Cancer irroratus, are commercially harvested. The red rock crab, Cancer productus, is harvested by sport fishermen in Oregon.
Dungeness crab mate from spring through fall. Males are polygamous––each male crab may mate with more than one female. This may be an important factor in maintaining the reproductive viability of this species because only male crab can be harvested. Male crab only mate with female crab that have just molted (shed their old exoskeleton). Fertilization of eggs occurs about a month after mating when the female’s shell has hardened; until this time, the female crab stores the sperm in internal pouches especially designed for this purpose. Females can store sperm for as long as 2 years and old, large females will often use stored sperm to fertilize their eggs rather than molting and mating. The female extrudes eggs through pores on her ventral surface; they are fertilized as they pass through the stored sperm and adhere to hairs on the abdominal appendages where they are carried until hatching. A large female Dungeness crab can carry 2.5 million eggs.
After hatching, crab zoea larvae are planktonic and swim away freely. Larval development takes from 4 months to as long as a year in Alaska. Six successive larval stages (5 zoea and 1 megalopa) occur before the crab molts into the first juvenile stage. Crabs grow each time they molt. During the first two years both sexes grow at similar rates, but after two years males grow more quickly than females. Sexual maturity may be reached at three years. The legal size of 6.5 inches in shell width can be reached at four to five years of age, at which time the crab will weigh between 2 and 3 pounds. A large male Dungeness crab can exceed 10 inches in shell width. The estimated maximum life span is from 8 to 13 years.
Dungeness crab are widely distributed subtidally and prefer a sandy or muddy bottom in marine waters. However, they are tolerant of salinity changes and can be found in estuarine environments. They are most abundant in waters shallower than 30 meters, but have been found as deep as 200 meters.
Dungeness crab foraging behavior coincides with their habitat. These crab scavenge along the sea floor for organisms that live partly or completely buried in the sand. They are both scavengers and predators, and their diet can include bivalves, worms, shrimp, fish, and small crab.
Dungeness crab are distributed from the Aleutian Islands to Magdalena Bay, Mexico.
Facts: The Dungeness Crab
FAQ
What is so special about Dungeness crab?
Dungeness crab is special due to its sweet, succulent, and delicate meat, which is considered among the best-tasting crab meat. Its unique flavor profile, a balance of sweetness and subtle saltiness, makes it a favorite for seafood lovers.
What’s the difference between king crab and Dungeness?
Dungeness crab has shorter legs and a smaller profile than king and snow crab. Its claws and legs are thicker and chunkier than snow crab claws and overall contain more meat. King crab legs are much larger, with a spiny exterior protecting a larger volume of meat.
What’s better, snow crab or Dungeness crab?
If you want a meal with more delicate flavor, Dungeness is your pick. Prefer slightly sweet, firmer meat with easier access? Then snow crab is your go-to.