It is informed that all 53 licenced vessels will be hoping to fill their holds with sweet dungeness crab from Hecate Strait, before returning to Prince Rupert and Massett with their first deliveries of the year. There is no doubt that the North Coast commercial fishery provides significant economic stimulus to both Prince Rupert, the Queen Charlotte Islands and surrounding region, contributing approximately $25 million annually to the local economy before any spin-offs are taken into account.
Area “A” Crab Association Executive Director Geoff Gould is quick to point out the difference between local crabbers in Hecate Strait and the crew of vessels like Time Bandit in the Bering Sea. He added it’s a big investment, there’s a lot of gear losses and big expenses to it. The Area “A” Crab Association feels they are fully prescribed with 53 licences, and are adamant that DFO has no long-term plan for the management of the resource.
According to Gould DFO comes out with an annual management plan, and we’ve asked them point-blank ‘what are you doing if 50 boats decide to move here because the association can’t handle that. He also said that DFO has no plan, they just stare at the wall and ignore the association. Gould admits it is unlikely that as many as 50 boats would re-select Area “A” next season, but that under the management plan it is a possibility.
