The first eight weeks of the 2021-2022 Dungeness season have already set a new $74.5 million ex-vessel value, surpassing the last record grossing season of 2017-2018, according to the Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission.
The fleet landed more than 14.7 million pounds as of Jan. 25, despite several weeks of a rough weather and continuing worker shortages in processing facilities along the coast, commission officials said in a statement Tuesday.
“After a low landing season last year, in our cyclical industry, this shows once again the sustainability of Oregon’s iconic fishery,” said Hugh Link, the commission’s executive director.
“From our first on-time start in seven years, to the all-time highest starting price ever in the Oregon Dungeness fishery, now this, this season has already been a tremendous success,” said Link. “And we want to thank and acknowledge our loyal consumers for their ongoing support of our fishermen and hope they continue to enjoy the delicious and nutritious bounty those fishermen bring from sea to plate.”
Using a conservative economic multiplier of two, it’s estimated that the Oregon Dungeness crab fishery has already injected about $149 million into the state’s economy this season.
The season still runs through August 14th. The previous record year of 2017-2018 reached its final ex-vessel value off the total season landings of 23.1 million pounds of crab.
