Crab negotiations
Negotiations between commercial crabbers and processors was suspended late last week after the two sides failed to agree upon an opening price for the 2010-11 season off the Oregon Coast.  Crabbers are reportedly seeking the same $1.75 per pound opening price they had to open the 2009 season; however, processors are looking for less.  Handicapping the negotiations is an early opening for a small section off California at Half Moon Bay and San Francisco.  Commercial crabber began pulling their pots on Nov. 15th in what some predict will be a record catch.  Tribal crabbers are also reportedly working the waters off the coast of Washington.  With crab already hitting the market, some local crabbers feel the processors are not in a hurry to settle with Oregon’s crabbers.  The delay impacted a “pre-soak” date set for Sunday morning, Nov. 28th, when crabbers could drop their pots in the ocean while awaiting the official start of the season Dec. 1st.  Further talks are expected to continue this week.

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