Eight weeks into season, Oregon Dungeness fleet hits catch-value record

The first eight weeks of Oregon’s 2021-2022 Dungeness season have already set a new USD 74.5 million (EUR 66.5 million) ex-vessel value, surpassing the previous record-grossing season of 2017-2018, according to the Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission.

The fleet had landed more than 14.7 million pounds as of 25 January, despite several weeks of a rough weather and continuing worker shortages in processing facilities along the coast, commission officials said in a statement Tuesday, 25 January.

“After a low-landing season last year, in our cyclical industry, this shows once again the sustainability of Oregon’s iconic fishery,” Oregon Dungeness Crab Commission Executive Director Hugh Link said. “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. 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 Oregon’s Dungeness crab fishery has already injected about USD 149 million (EUR 132.9 million) into the state’s economy this season.

The season still runs through 14 August, 2022. The previous record year of 2017-2018 reached its final ex-vessel value based off total season landings of 23.1 million pounds of crab.

Photo courtesy of Oregon DFW