Crescent City Profile - California Sea Grant

45Pounds and ex-vessel value (millions, 2007$)403530252015105019471950All ElseShrimpCrabAlbacoreSalmonGroundfishEx-vessel valuein the late 1960s and early 1970s (due largelyto the use of double-rig trawl nets for shrimp),bringing the total landings at Crescent Cityto more than 10 million pounds worth $12.6million (2007$) by 1968.Receiving and processing capacity expanded in theaftermath of the 1964 tsunami with the constructionof two large seafood processing plants. Whengovernment funds for the project came up $40,000short, more than 130 individuals and businessesdonated money to ensure the project’s success(Anon. 1976). In 1970 the Harbor District leasedthe buildings to Crescent Fisheries and EurekaFisheries, the latter one of the largest seafoodprocessing companies along the West Coast at thetime. Eureka Fisheries’ new 16,000 ft 2 processingfacility was capable of handling some six millionpounds of shrimp, crab, salmon and groundfishannually (Eureka Fisheries 1992). The considerableincrease in processing capacity (as well as jobs andincome for residents) likely encouraged an increasein the amount of fish landed at the port.1953195619591962196519681971197419771980198319861989199219951998200120042007Figure 2. Pounds and ex-vessel value (2007$) of commercial fishery landings at Crescent City, 1947–2007(CDFG Fish Bulletin Series). Note: Ex-vessel value data for 1977–1980 are not available.The completion of the inner boat basin providedthe first secure berthing space for recreational andcommercial fishing vessels, and led to a substantialinflux of fishermen into the area, which at thattime was economically depressed following thesharp decline in the local timber industry. As ofMay 1975, the inner harbor’s 300 berths were fullyoccupied by permanent tenants, and there was asubstantial slip waiting list (Leidersdorf 1975).The resident commercial fishing fleet consistedof 100 to 120 boats, many of which were new orupdated vessels compared to those of the previousdecade. In addition to the resident fleet, a growingnumber of transient vessels used the port. In 1981,there were over 1,000 boats making landings atthe port, about ten times the number of residentboats. These boats, many from Eureka and pointssouth or from Oregon, came to access the richlocal fishing grounds and to take advantage of theharbor’s infrastructure, including fish receiving andprocessing capacity.Crescent City Fishing Community Profile 5