Dungeness crab season finally started this week following regulatory delays and a fisherman’s strike. While the strike aimed to get a better price from the fish processing companies that buy a large portion of the crabs, local fishermen are still frustrated with the starting price of $3 per pound across California.
Harrison Ibach, president of Humboldt Fishermen’s Marketing Association, said so far the weather has been less than favorable and the price leaves a lot to be desired.
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“No one is happy with the fact that the processors are still paying more in Oregon than they are in California,” he said. The price is better than last year’s historic low of $2.25 that coupled with a large number of crabs. But this is up to a dollar lower than what processors are paying Oregon crabbers, said Ibach, the reasoning for which isn’t entirely clear.
He said normally the price is the same across the coast. From what he was told, the price difference is because crabs in Oregon are going to the live market while crabs in California will be sent to the freezer, although he pushed back against this.
“That also is insulting to us as fishermen because we don’t understand why our crabs, which are really good quality, have to go to the section market,” he said.
Ibach said overall, everyone is ready to get to work for some much-needed paychecks.
Crab sales are beginning on Woodley Island with the official start to the Dungeness crab season this week. (BANG file photo)
The beginning of the season follows a multiport strike in Northern California to try and achieve a better price. Crabbers in Trinidad, Eureka, Fort Bragg and Crescent City did not set their traps when the California Department of Fish and Wildlife opened the season for presoak Jan. 5 after multiple CDFW delays.
Ibach said the Northern California ports are becoming stronger in unity as the years go on, working together to figure out something that’s fair and equitable. But he said the strike didn’t get them where they wanted.
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“In the end, we feel very defeated and deflated by basically feeling as though we are forced to go on a lower price than what Oregon has achieved. And we still don’t understand exactly why,” he said, adding later that there was a lack of communication with processors.
The strike ended as San Francisco’s crabbing season opened, and traps were set Monday. A multi-port gentlemen’s agreement meant traps are to be pulled two days later and Wednesday night was the first delivery. While the regulatory agencies pre-set period was bypassed due to the strike, Ibach said fishermen do their own multiport agreement that allows for a fair and equitable start for boats of all sizes.
“Fishermen need to figure out a way to make some sort of significant change because as of right now, the majority of the power is the processors and it leads to a lot of frustration amongst the fishing industry,” he said.
For those wanting to support local fishermen, he said buying crab straight from boats on Woodley Island or trying to source the crab they’re buying from local establishments are good options.
Questions sent to the media email for Pacific Seafood were not returned by the Times-Standard print deadline
Sage Alexander can be reached at 707-441-0504.
