Crescent City Profile - California Sea Grant

Eureka and Trinidad, the decline in its salmonfishery has been disproportionate relative tothe KMZ as a whole. For instance, during theperiod 1981–1983, Crescent City accountedfor an average of 34% of total salmon effort(angler days) and 30% of salmon landed inthe KMZ commercial fishery; by 2005–2007its contribution to total effort and landingsdropped to 7% and 11% respectively (PFMC1997, 2009). Crescent City’s contribution toeffort and landings in the KMZ recreationalfishery fell from 20% and 19% respectivelyduring the period 1981–1983 to 7% and 5%,respectively, by the period 2005–2007.As the fishing community was acclimating tonew rules in the ocean salmon fishery, otherevents induced further change in the system.The 1982–1983 El Niño had a dramaticeffect on many California fisheries includingsalmon, groundfish and shrimp (CDFG1984, 1985). Many Crescent City fisheryparticipants observed major ecosystem shiftssuch as changes in the distribution of certainrockfishes, decreases in the size of salmon, andthe scarcity of pink shrimp after several strongyears (Pearcy and Schoener 1987, Woodbury1999). In response to these ecological changes,fishermen shifted their effort to other morereadily available species. Many shrimpfishermen modified their trawlers and began totarget groundfish and/or shifted to crabbing. Asone participant noted:Virtually the entire West Coast shrimpfleet shifted in to the groundfish trawlfishery. Before 1982–83, there was ashrimp fleet and a groundfish fleet…when shrimp nearly disappeared dueto the El Niño, the two fleets becameindistinguishable.Contractions in commercial fishing activity,particularly with respect to the high-volumegroundfish and shrimp fisheries, have impactedlocal receiving and processing infrastructureas well as the harvesting sector. For example,Castle Rock Seafood, a local processor sincethe mid 1970s that was bought out by afishermen’s cooperative beginning in 1995,ceased operations in 1997. ConsolidatedFactors/Sea Products closed in 2000, and in2001 one of the largest processors on the WestCoast, Eureka Fisheries, ceased operations. 31Although these business closures cannot bedirectly linked to reductions in fishing activity,it stands to reason that reduced poundagegoing across the docks and into thesefacilities (paying for machinery, receiving andprocessing labor, wastewater treatment, andproduct distribution) had a substantial negativeimpact on the viability of those businesses.Economic Factors and ImpactsFor commercial and charter fishing operations,costs include fixed items such as vessels,gear and equipment (for navigation, safetyand maintaining the quality of the catch),slip fees, permit fees, insurance and generalvessel maintenance. They also include variable(operating) costs such as fuel, ice and otherprovisions, as well as crew. For recreationalfishery participants, fixed costs includemost of these items (except, for example,crew), although they tend to be considerablylower. Fish buyers and processors, supportbusinesses and the harbor likewise havefixed and variable costs including facilities,equipment, labor (and associated costs such asworkers’ compensation insurance), supplies,and maintenance, repair and services neededto keep their operations functioning safely andeffectively.Commercial FisheriesCommercial fishery participants and supportbusiness operators cited rising operating costs,especially those for gear, vessel maintenance,insurance and fuel, as among the biggestchallenges they are facing. One trawl fisheryparticipant reported (in May 2008), “We’re onreally tight margins, especially fuel. It used toCrescent City Fishing Community Profile 44