Named for a small fishing village on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula, the Dungeness crab is the most important shellfish in the region.
Prized for its sweet and delicate meat, these crabs attract major commercial and sport fisheries throughout its range from Alaska to California. Dungeness crabs have a rounded carapace, colored in shades of purple, orange and brown and sport two large and powerful, light colored claws. They can be up to 10 inches across the back and weigh over 3 pounds.
Dungeness crab are known to be opportunistic feeders, consuming a variety of small fishes, clams, echinoderms, and other invertebrates. They will also readily scavenge dead animals on the seafloor.
