Oregon seems to be taking a hit this year when it comes to an upsetting season start.
Oregon fishermen and processors met Nov. 16 and 17 during state-monitored price negotiations but came away with no resolution. They plan to meet again this week. There was some concern about the meat quality test results from the Astoria area that showed crab weren’t quite mature. It was unclear whether crab from that area would mature in time for a Dec. 1 opening.
But it may be a moot point.
The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife on Friday closed most of the Oregon Coast, from south of Tillamook Head, near Astoria, to the California border, to recreational crabbing due to elevated levels of domoic acid. Those crab were only between Cascade Head and Cape Falcon, on the northern Oregon Coast, but state managers closed most of the coastline out of precaution. The state is doing more testing this week.
“Additional sample results will be used to inform the reopening areas and the opening of the ocean crab fisheries …,” a state press release said.
Domoic testing of commercial crab from Brookings showed very low levels of the toxin during the second week of November. Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission Director Hugh Link said he expects domoic testing results from other parts of the coast soon.
California domoic acid testing shows consistent elevated levels from crab in the Fort Bragg area; state officials are continuing to test.
Meanwhile, California fishermen report the central California fishery around Sn Francisco is going well, with an ex-vessel price of around $3 a pound since the season opened on Nov. 15. Some reported a significant drop in productivity after the first pull, but some of the larger vessels made only one delivery as of Sunday, Nov. 20.
And as if the season opening issues weren’t enough to cause concern for the industry, the Center for Biological Diversity sent a letter to the National Marine Fisheries Service on Nov. 14, requesting a federal fisheries management plan for Dungeness crab. Currently, each of the states adhere to a Tri-state cooperative management system and provide regular reports to the Pacific States Fisheries Management Commission, since Dungeness crabbing is considered a state fishery in each state.
Federal lawmakers approved this management system several years ago with the inclusion of a sunset clause of Sept. 30, 2016, in the law. Absent federal legislation, management would return to the states. The states may elect to retain the Tri-state agreement.
The Dungeness industry in all three states supported legislation to remove the sunset clause. West Coast lawmakers also supported the legislation in both the House and the Senate, but the bill didn’t move — yet.
“The fact that California, Oregon and Washington manage the Dungeness crab fishery in state waters does not relieve NMFS from developing and implementing a federal fishery management plan for Dungeness,” the Center for Biological Diversity wrote.
Source: SeafoodNews.com