PACIFIC COAST FISHERIES 



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King crabs . Landings of 52.1 million pounds were worth $13.2 million — a decline of 5.7 million 

 pounds (10 percent) and $2.5 million (16 percent) compared with 1969. The harvest was the small- 

 est since 1961 . In an effort to conserve the declining resource, the Alaska Board of Fish andGame 

 continued regulations begun in 1968 providing for a 6-month closure of certain fishing grounds. 

 In addition, they established quotas in most fishing areas and limited the number of crab pots per 

 vessel . 



Fishermen lost no time because of price disputes . They agreed with plant owners on a 

 price of 25-1/4 cents per pound before the season began at Kodiak on August 15. Competition 

 for the supply- of king crabs resulted in an increase to 30 cents per pound by the end of October, 

 and to 36 cents per pound by the end of the year. 



Five new king crab vessels entered the fishery early in 1970, but by the end of the year 

 several vessel owners, disappointed by the declining king crab harvest, were planning to convert 

 their vessels for use in other fisheries, such as the shrimp or sablefish pot fisheries. 



Mackerel fishery . In California, the only Pacific Coast State with a mackerel fishery, the com- 

 bined landings of Pacific and jack mackerel were 48.4 million pounds — a decrease of 5.9 million 

 compared with 1969. The jack mackerel fishery (47.7 million pounds) declined for the third suc- 

 cessive year, although the fish were fairly plentiful on the fishing grounds. Fishermen lost no time 

 in price disputes or contract negotiations, but many of them preferred to fish for anchovies instead 

 of jack mackerel . 



Landings of Pacific mackerel (622,000 pounds) were 74 percent less than in 1969, and far 

 below the record 146.4 million pounds taken in 1935. In an effort to conserve the dwindling Pa- 

 cific mackerel resource, the California State Legislature approved legislation prohibiting commer- 

 cial fishing for Pacific mackerel for 2 years. The law became effective in August 1970. 



Halibut. Landings by the combined United States and Canadian halibut fleets were 54.9 million 

 pounds (dressed weight) — 6 percent less than in 1969. For the third consecutive year, Canadian 

 fishermen landed more halibut (53 percent of the production) than United States fishermen. 



U.S. Pacific halibut landings of 34.3 million pounds (round weight) worth $8.7 million in- 

 creased 1.1 million pounds but declined $222,000 compared with 1969. Alaska landings of 28.3 

 million pounds were 24 percent more than in 1969. As halibut receipts increased at Kodiak and 

 other Alaska ports, they declined to an alltime low at Seattle, Washington. Washington landings 

 of 5.9 million pounds were 43 percent less than in 1969. The pattern of landings changed princi- 

 pally because Alaska firms began paying fishermen prices that competed with the higher prices 

 traditionally offered at Seattle. Most fishermen preferred to deliver halibut to ports near the fish- 

 ing areas, and to make additional fishing trips in the time formerly lost in the long run to Seattle. 

 Halibut prices continued firm in 1970 until the end of the season when mounting frozen halibut in- 

 ventories caused a sharp decline in exvessel prices. Pacific Coast fishermen received an average 

 price of 25.4 cents per pound in 1970 — 1-1/2 cents less than in 1969. 



Snow crabs . Landings of a record 14.5 million pounds were worth $1.4 million — an increase of 

 29 percent in quantity and 25 percent in value compared with 1969. The continuing decline inking 

 crab landings has resulted in a growing interest in the snow crab resource. Snow crabs can be 

 taken with the same gear and processed in the same facilities as king crabs. Also like king crabs, 

 they area quality seafood that canhelp satisfy the consumer desire for crab meat. In 1970, Alaska 

 packers supplemented the shortage of king crab meat with a record pack (42,527 standard cases) 

 of snow crab meat. 



In 1970, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration ruled that "snow" has been the usual 

 name used to designate crab meat produced from species of Chionoecetes, and that all canned 

 products must be so labeled. 



