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Published: February 1, 2010
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Early predictions of a mediocre Oregon Dungeness crab season were thoroughly defied in December, 2009. The season started strong, with favorable weather and solid average weights, and so far it has not let up. The historical average total Oregon annual catch over the course of the entire season (usually December-mid August) is 10.3 million pounds. This year, in the first four weeks of the season Oregon crabbers landed 15.6 million pounds -- 2 million more pounds than were brought in during the entire 8.5 month season last year.
The good weather has afforded small boats a big advantage. When the seas are stormy, only larger boats may safely venture out, but in calm weather the entire fleet can hit the water nearly every day. Fortunately, this year there seems to be enough crab to go around.
In California, too, the crab season has been better than expected. After last year’s low harvest, this season has picked up. “Last year must have been the bottom of the cycle,” Crab Boat Owners Association of San Francisco President Larry Collins said in a San Francisco Examiner interview. “We’re starting back up.” Prices are up, too. But Dungeness has become a more critical income source for local fishermen, particularly in the San Francisco Bay, because of closures in the salmon and herring fisheries.
The Washington season did not open until January, 2010, and it has not started off as strongly. According to the Aberdeen Daily World, “Ray Toste, President of Washington Dungeness Crab Fishermen’s Association, said crews started out excited about a possible rebound from last year’s lousy crab season.”
“We had high hopes,” he said. “But they were caught fast.” Washington starts its season later than the rest of the Pacific coast because of an arrangement between the state and the Tribes.
source: Fishlink Sublegals
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Published: February 1, 2010
Print
EmailEarly predictions of a mediocre Oregon Dungeness crab season were thoroughly defied in December, 2009. The season started strong, with favorable weather and solid average weights, and so far it has not let up. The historical average total Oregon annual catch over the course of the entire season (usually December-mid August) is 10.3 million pounds. This year, in the first four weeks of the season Oregon crabbers landed 15.6 million pounds -- 2 million more pounds than were brought in during the entire 8.5 month season last year.
The good weather has afforded small boats a big advantage. When the seas are stormy, only larger boats may safely venture out, but in calm weather the entire fleet can hit the water nearly every day. Fortunately, this year there seems to be enough crab to go around.
In California, too, the crab season has been better than expected. After last year’s low harvest, this season has picked up. “Last year must have been the bottom of the cycle,” Crab Boat Owners Association of San Francisco President Larry Collins said in a San Francisco Examiner interview. “We’re starting back up.” Prices are up, too. But Dungeness has become a more critical income source for local fishermen, particularly in the San Francisco Bay, because of closures in the salmon and herring fisheries.
The Washington season did not open until January, 2010, and it has not started off as strongly. According to the Aberdeen Daily World, “Ray Toste, President of Washington Dungeness Crab Fishermen’s Association, said crews started out excited about a possible rebound from last year’s lousy crab season.”
“We had high hopes,” he said. “But they were caught fast.” Washington starts its season later than the rest of the Pacific coast because of an arrangement between the state and the Tribes.
source: Fishlink Sublegals
Submit Article