Crescent City Profile - California Sea Grant

Average annual landings in recent years (12.1million pounds) were 44% lower compared tothe long-term average (21.4 million pounds;Table 7). At the same time, the total ex-vesselvalue of the landings was only 4% lower inrecent years ($16.7 million) than the long-termaverage ($17.3 million). This discrepancy isdue primarily to the growth of the crab fishery(with higher ex-vessel prices compared totrawl-caught groundfish). The emergenceof lower volume, higher price-per-poundlive fish fisheries for rockfish and coonstripeshrimp, and the increase in sablefish activityand prices, together with declines in thehigher-volume, lower-price groundfish andshrimp trawl fisheries have contributed to thisdifferential outcome.The recent average number of vessels (154,resident and nonresident combined) withlandings at Crescent City is 57% less than thelong-term average of 363 boats (Table 7). Thischange is due largely to the curtailment of thesalmon fishery in the mid-1980s, but also toattrition following implementation of limitedentry programs in several fisheries, and thereduction in local processing capacity in recentyears. The number of boats declined sharplyfrom 1,082 (mostly salmon trollers) in 1981 to320 in 1985, then ranged between 312 and 503through 1994 before declining further to fewerthan 170 since 2001 (Figure 6). Of the 1,082boats that made commercial fishery landingsat Crescent City in 1981, 911 (84%) landedsalmon and 246 (23%) landed crab. Since1990, however, the proportion landing salmonhas declined to 0%–29%, while the proportionlanding crab has increased to 57%–89%.The number of trips in Crescent City droppedsharply from a high of nearly 15,000 in 1982 (amajority of which were salmon) to fewer than3,800 since 1998 (Figure 7). Annual effort inrecent years averaged 3,044 trips, 48% lowerthan the long-term annual average of 5,882. Theonly fishery for which effort has been higher inrecent years than the long term is the relativelynew coonstripe shrimp fishery, which has a smallnumber of participants and a limited (five-month)season. In the early 1980s, the salmon fisheryaccounted for 53% of all trips into Crescent City.As salmon fishing declined, crab trips accountedfor a variable but increasing proportion of trips,peaking at 80% in 2006, and averaging 68% forthe short term. The rockfish and lingcod hook–and-line fishery accounted for 22% of trips overthe long term and 19% over the short term. Allother fisheries accounted for 8% or less of tripsover the long term, and 3% or less in the shortterm.The number of fish buyers at Crescent Cityhas varied considerably over the last 27 years,both within and among fisheries. Overall,the number of buyers was 34–45 during theperiod 1981–1983, decreased to 19–28 duringTable 7. Long-term and recent annual average, percent difference, and highs and lows in selected measuresfor commercial fisheries at Crescent City, 1981–2007.Long-termaverage1981–2007Recentaverage2003–2007Percent High year(s) Low year(s)All Fisheriesdifference (amount) (amount)Landings (lbs) 21,411,639 12,087,253 -44 1992 (39,336,658) 2005 (5,260,636)Ex-vessel value ($) 17,255,298 16,651,100 -4 1988 (24,786,105) 2002 (6,358,568)Boats 363 154 -57 1981 (1,082) 2005 (137)Buyers 41 35 -15 1998 (65) 2007 (20)Trips 5,882 3,044 -48 1982 (14,943) 2005 (2,128)Price ($/lb) 0.89 1.39 +55 2003 (1.55) 1989 (0.51)Crescent City Fishing Community Profile 19