Published Jul-21-2010
Crab harvests in 2009 were nearly 22 million pounds and prices remained around the $2 per pound mark, allowing the fleet to land about $42 million worth of crab - well above the average harvest. The crab harvest was worth about $29 million in 2008.
The closure of part of the salmon grounds resulted in a harvest of only 2.3 million pounds - a little over half its average level since 2000. Prices slipped in 2009 and the landed value of the salmon fishery was $3.5 million - about the average for the 1990s.
The pink shrimp harvest fell by 13 percent and the price also fell so total value dropped by roughly half from 2008 to around $7 million in 2009. The amount of whiting landed increased but a drop in price led to a 40 percent drop in the total landed value for this fishery. Most other major fisheries changed little from 2008, although, interestingly, the harvests of many types of shellfish increased in 2009.
Estimated employment in commercial fishing seems to have increased in 2009, to 1767 from 1,603 in 2008. Measuring employment in fishing is more difficult than measuring the harvests. Legislation in 1999 allowed most fishermen to be exempt from unemployment insurance coverage - the primary source of employment data. The Oregon Employment Department now estimates the total number of fishermen based on survey data and the number of fishing licenses sold.
The number of fishermen covered by insurance has dropped considerably since 1999. The apparent decrease could be from fewer fishermen working but mainly is probably from fewer fishermen electing to maintain unemployment insurance coverage.
Although the number of fishing vessels has declined from historic highs, fishing is generating more revenue per boat and is probably becoming a higher-paying occupation.
In addition to direct employment, commercial fishing provides the resource for processors. There were 26 seafood processors in Oregon in 2009, one fewer than the previous year. Their average annual employment was 1,007. Some ports, such as Florence and Reedsport, have fish buyers who now transport the harvest to be processed elsewhere.
For more information on commercial fishing activities, visit the Pacific Fisheries Information Network (PacFin) at http://pacfin.psmfc.org/.
