By Mary Swift-Swan

San Francisco fishermen have a head start and fighting chance this season to support their businesses and families. This 2002/2003 season is different from recent years. Local fishermen have a two-week lead on big fishing machines from Oregon and Washington. Big boats have huge holds that enable mass harvest. They begin mass harvest in the San Francisco region on December 1st, working up the coast following the staggered seasons of crab migration Local boats take smaller segments out of pods versus harvesting the whole pod. Local crab are brought in multiple times a week until the salmon season starts. One might think consumer prices would go down with larger boats participating. That did not happen. When free of local competion, the price doubled. The result is a local fishing economy being squeezed and a growing concern for longevity and health of the fishing grounds. This season deserves a close and careful look.

For most local boats, following crab north to Alaska is not economically feasible. Even fishing the waters of Oregon has not been possible for the local fisherman for two reasons. First, big boats have greater fuel and hold capacity to work the entire West Coast from San Francisco to Alaska, staying out for longer periods until holds are full following the migratory path of Dungeness crab. Only a few San Francisco Bay Area fishing vessels have the fuel capacity to work beyond California. Second, it is difficult for California boats to obtain permits to fish in Oregon waters. The scuttlebutt is that none of the boats that applied have been granted Oregon permits.

Many local crab crews worked feverishly during the last off-season, mending and making serviceable their traps so as to be ready for this season's start. They’re driven to increase deployment by the need to remain competitive. It all comes down to midnight November 14th, the moment local fishermen were allowed to set their traps. Eureka! It turned out to be a good year. Some vessels were in unloading at the docks by 3 a.m., just three hours later. The Scoma's Restaurant boat prepared a record 500 traps and after two days brought in 20,000 lbs of crab. It took hours to off-load, filling every available box until there wasn't anywhere else to put the crab. The first of the 2002-2003 season saw the Wharf full of fresh cooked crab in time for Thanksgiving visitors. What is going to happen when the big boats begin their harvest on the first of December? Will locals again buy San Francisco area crab direct from Portland and/or Seattle or have an option to buy crab from the catch of San Francisco boats?

Dungeness crab travel in packs. In Alaskan waters, a "ball" was reportedly identified that stretched out a solid mile wide of claw-to-claw crab. Crab have been tagged and tracked from San Francisco all the way to Alaska. Crab season in San Francisco ends June 30th. West Coast waters are open to commercial boats with permits for periods that are predicted to coincide with the migration pattern as "crab balls" move north.

The price per pound for crab at the end of the season flucuated from $2 to $4 per pound. The increased market price made it worthwhile for the few boats that continued to set traps to the end of June. We are rooting for the home team to keep the local market strong and fishing grounds healthy. Good management of San Francisco fishing grounds is what makes possible banner catches like those seen with the start of the 2002-2003 season. Now, the important question: what to do with all that crab?