SAN FRANCISCO—The Dungeness crab strike that lasted over 11 days has ended. Crab fisherman from Northern California, San Francisco and along the Canadian border have come to a compromise, a Pacific Seafood spokesperson said.
The strike started on December 28, 2016 and ended on Monday, January 9, 2017.
Both parties ended the strike after agreeing to a price of $2.87 per pound of crab, said Dan Occhipinti of the Pacific Seafood Group.
According to the Humboldt Fishermen’s Marketing Association, the rift initiated between Northern California crabbers and Pacific Seafood Group, when the crabbers accused the group of trying to reduce a negotiated price of $3 per pound, when they offered to pay $2.75. Impacting price were the environment and the demand of the crustacean.
Last year the Dungeness crab season was halted due to the danger of domoic acid found in the crabs, making it unhealthy to consume.
The Humboldt Fishermen’s Marketing Association told KRCR-TV in Eureka, California, that workers settled on a price of $2.875 per pound with major buyer Pacific Choice Seafood.
“The 12 cents doesn’t sound like much, but it makes a difference,” said Christian Cavanaugh, a Sausalito crabber.
