Crab price spat delays season – Fishermen in District 7 not fishing until the buyer offers the original $3

Negotiations with Pacific Group failed to secure an acceptable price range for local crab fisherman in District 7, stretching from Humboldt Bay’s North Jetty to Point Arena in Mendocino. Crab prices have been set $3 a pound since the November opening of the season. Pacific Group, which owns Pacific Choice Seafood in Humboldt County, has proposed crab prices be reduced to $2.75 per pound. According to Ken Bates, vice president of the Humboldt Fishermen’s Marketing Association, if fisherman decided to fish for less, local boats would lose between $7,000 to $10,000 for the average medium to small boat. “Fisherman representatives have been meeting all (Tuesday) afternoon in Newport, Oregon, and as of 4 p.m. there have not been any resolutions. We may continue (Wednesday) and there’s a possibility that the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife will set a mediation, which is a compromised price on the crab,” Bates said. “The buyer wanted to drop the price and attempted to lower it by 25 cents.” Read the story here 13:53

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