Fishermen at Pillar Point hold fast for better days

“I always wanted to do this and someone was selling the vessel, pods and permits and I thought it was a good idea at the time,” Burian said. “If I did well, I was going to do it full time and fish for salmon as well; but, at this time, there is no way to make a living with this as far as I can see.”

The storm only made things more difficult because the high winds and waves buried some of the crab in the pots, suffocating and killing some of the crustaceans, he added.

“It’s a nightmare. I did not plan on this at all when I purchased the vessel, but if I don’t sell it I will be forced to do it again next year,” Burian said.

Typically, the statutory commercial crab fishing season begins on Nov. 15 but this season’s start date was pushed back three times to protect humpback whales during migration, officially opening on New Year’s Day, according to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife.

“As far as the Dungeness crab season goes, they need to open the season before the holidays because the demand is nearly over after that,” Burian said.

Additionally, Burian said, the dock rumor is restrictions to the king crab season in Alaska forced the big fisheries to pivot to fish for Dungeness crab this season, which has flooded the market and resulted in low prices.

The wholesale buyers are offering around $2.25 per pound, the same price as mackerel bait prices, he said. However, on a positive note, the crabs Burian caught were large males with good quality meat. Once the pots get filled with females and smaller crabs that implies the season is beginning to dwindle, he said.

Adding to the stress of a shortened season, the CDFW also reduced trap sizes by 50% for fisheries south of Mendocino County to reduce the risk of entangling humpback whales who continue to migrate to their winter breeding grounds, which lasted until mid-January. Burian said he could have done a lot more volume, which was a little disappointing.

Mike Dvorak, who fishes under the vessel Alicia Don out of Pillar Point Harbor, was pleased with the half pot restriction.

“The half pot thing is a way we are trying to work with the whale advocates to try to find a solution. So, we ended up with the half pot compromise but it wasn’t as difficult on the crews and the boats, so half pots, overall, was a positive experiment,” Dvorak said.

His gripe, however, is the flooded market that he feels will eventually affect prices next season. The big fisheries have been selling frozen crab since last year and at the end of this year big fisheries will have the leverage to offer even lower prices, Dvorak speculated, adding, the prices this year haven’t been this low since the ‘80s.

“[The 50% pots made] good progress toward the whale solution, no whales were caught in lines. What is disconcerting for us is that [canneries and wholesalers] are going to load up on the crab, freeze it and then sell it off next season,” Dvorak said. “They are depriving the public from getting the fresh crab for the holidays because all they are going to get is overpriced frozen crab from the year before.”

As the season begins to wind down, Dvorak suggests residents who want to support the local fishermen to come to Pillar Point Harbor and buy live crab off the dock from Friday to Monday. Mornings are the best time and the fishermen are selling the crabs off the dock for $5 to $8 per pound.

Nick@smdailyjournal.com

(650) 344-5200 ext. 105