Harvesters and processing companies are about $30-million apart on a price for crab—and it could result in a delay in the fishery.
The companies are offering a minimum price of $2.60 per pound while harvesters say they need $2.83 to make it worth their while.
FFAW President Greg Pretty
FFAW President Greg Pretty says it makes no sense for anyone to go out fishing for less than break-even.
Last year, most boats were tied up for weeks because of a dispute over price. They eventually did go fishing, but the delay left a black mark on the industry. Pretty says harvesters are in a similar situation regarding pricing this year.
He says they Association of Seafood Producers’ formula includes caps which would result in harvesters getting 37 per cent of the market value, something he calls insanity.
ASP Executive Director Jeff Loder
Jeff Loder, the Executive Director of the Association of Seafood Producers, says that figure is inaccurate as harvesters actually receiver over 50 per cent of the market value.
As for crab prices being in the range of $3.00 in the Gulf, Loder says there’s a reason why companies cannot pay that much – they have higher costs than companies buying from the Gulf.
Workers’ Compensation alone amounts to 8 cents per pound.
