ILWACO — King-sized trucks rumbled into life this week hauling tall stacks of rigged crab pots as word finally arrived that the commercial Dungeness season will commence with gear setting starting 8 a.m. Sunday and harvesting at 9 a.m. Jan. 15.

Crab in the prime area from Klipsan Beach south to the mouth of the Columbia were slow to put on meat, an issue that has often delayed the commercial start in recent years. Samples gathered Jan. 6 found 24.3% meat recovery, well above the 23% required by the Tri-State protocol that governs the West Coast fishery.

Crab in the Long Beach test area were still less than optimum shell hardness, with nearly 70% in shell grade II.

Commercial season traditionally starts Dec. 1, but rarely does so. The commercial season started on time in 2021-22 and 2014-15, but has often been delayed in recent years due to price negotiations, low-meat yield or elevated levels of domoic acid. The 2020-21 season had the longest delayed start in history — it took until mid-February before crab were clear of toxin.

Before 2014-15, there was a run of five Dec. 1 start dates from the 2006-07 season through the 2010-11 season. The season also started Dec. 1 for the 2003-04 season.