Dungeness crab are a west coast species ranging from the Aleutian Islands to southern California. They thrive in colder water, making the ocean off British Columbia a prime fishing area, where they live in bays, inlets and estuaries and on the open coast. Dungeness crab prefer sandy areas and live at variable depths from the intertidal zone to at least 250 metres; however, they are most abundant above 50-metre depths. They feed primarily on live prey including fish, crustaceans, clams and worms but will also scavenge.

Dungeness crab have an oval-shaped carapace that is yellow-brown to purplish. They have four pairs of walking legs and a pair of claws. The claws have light-coloured tips, sharp serated teeth and a pronounced hook at the tips, distinguishing it from similar species. Dungeness crab can weigh up to two kilograms and have a shell diameter exceeding 200 millimetres, but crabs of this size are uncommon because of the intensity with which they are fished.