Last Thursday saw the start of the Area A crab fishery, and hopes are high for a better season this year to hopefully put the memories of last season behind the areas crab fishers. The Daily News featured the details of the expected haul this year in Thursday’s paper.
CRAB FLEET HOPING FOR BIG HAUL AS NEW SEASON STARTS
Fishermen looking for better season after relatively poor one last time
By Kris Schumacher
The Daily News
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Pages one and two
Starting at 8 a. m. this morning, Area “A” crab fisherman were legally able to drop their traps in the water.
The molting time for crabs to mate and shed their old shells, forming their new harder and larger exteriors, has been determined by Archipelago marine Research and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO). Meaning most boats have already been on the ocean for the past 24 hours, waiting patiently to begin the crab season.
Hopes are high for this year’s season, after Area “A” crabbers experienced a poor season in 2006-07.
“Last year was a particularly bad year product-wise,” said Area “A” Crab Association executive director Geoff Gould.
“But as long as crabbing has been around, it’s been going in cycles.”
Crabbers must steer their boats many miles off the coast to reach the best trapping grounds, and their trips will last around three days on average.
The ideal depth for trapping Dungeness crab is a less than 100 feet, but the depth crabbers will leave traps depends on where the largest numbers are located.
The crab season cannot begin until after molting, which could only be determined through research conducted by Area “A” volunteer vessels and crews. And due to a previous court decision, the DFO can no longer fund the soft-shell research, meaning the Area “A” Crab Association members had to fund it from their own pockets, totaling around $100,000.
“Without the research being conducted, (crab fishers) would miss the prime time to be fishing,” said Jason Scherr, program manager for Achipelago. “And the prices (for crab) are better in the spring than in the middle of summer.”
This is something Area “A” fishermen have been fighting about with the government for what they feel has been too long.
“Basically, the Department (of Fisheries and Oceans) still gets the same budget each year, but they’ve found other areas to spend it on,” said Gould. “The bottom line is, we’ve rattled as many offices as we could. So the industry has just had to absorb the cost and get on with it.”
However, this is only one of the many problems Area “A” crab trappers face these days. Each year, the viable coastal area for catching crab shrinks, due to parks and recreation protected spaces, a rising number of sea otters who prey on the crab, and numerous other reasons. Yet the number of crab licences hasn’t been reduced, and in Area “A” the number actually increased last year.
“There’s probably too many licences given out on this whole coast,” said Gould. “And it’s an issue here because (DFO) has no real long term strategy to deal with it.”
The first crab boats coming back with full hauls will probably be arriving back in Prince Rupert by as early as Monday or Tuesday.
Fishermen looking for better season after relatively poor one last time
By Kris Schumacher
The Daily News
Thursday, June 21, 2007
Pages one and two
Starting at 8 a. m. this morning, Area “A” crab fisherman were legally able to drop their traps in the water.
The molting time for crabs to mate and shed their old shells, forming their new harder and larger exteriors, has been determined by Archipelago marine Research and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO). Meaning most boats have already been on the ocean for the past 24 hours, waiting patiently to begin the crab season.
Hopes are high for this year’s season, after Area “A” crabbers experienced a poor season in 2006-07.
“Last year was a particularly bad year product-wise,” said Area “A” Crab Association executive director Geoff Gould.
“But as long as crabbing has been around, it’s been going in cycles.”
Crabbers must steer their boats many miles off the coast to reach the best trapping grounds, and their trips will last around three days on average.
The ideal depth for trapping Dungeness crab is a less than 100 feet, but the depth crabbers will leave traps depends on where the largest numbers are located.
The crab season cannot begin until after molting, which could only be determined through research conducted by Area “A” volunteer vessels and crews. And due to a previous court decision, the DFO can no longer fund the soft-shell research, meaning the Area “A” Crab Association members had to fund it from their own pockets, totaling around $100,000.
“Without the research being conducted, (crab fishers) would miss the prime time to be fishing,” said Jason Scherr, program manager for Achipelago. “And the prices (for crab) are better in the spring than in the middle of summer.”
This is something Area “A” fishermen have been fighting about with the government for what they feel has been too long.
“Basically, the Department (of Fisheries and Oceans) still gets the same budget each year, but they’ve found other areas to spend it on,” said Gould. “The bottom line is, we’ve rattled as many offices as we could. So the industry has just had to absorb the cost and get on with it.”
However, this is only one of the many problems Area “A” crab trappers face these days. Each year, the viable coastal area for catching crab shrinks, due to parks and recreation protected spaces, a rising number of sea otters who prey on the crab, and numerous other reasons. Yet the number of crab licences hasn’t been reduced, and in Area “A” the number actually increased last year.
“There’s probably too many licences given out on this whole coast,” said Gould. “And it’s an issue here because (DFO) has no real long term strategy to deal with it.”
The first crab boats coming back with full hauls will probably be arriving back in Prince Rupert by as early as Monday or Tuesday.
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