The Virginia Marine Resources Commission reviews the program of buying back the crab licences which would be a first in the state’s 100-plus years of commercial fishing regulation. It is told that Virginia would hold a “reverse auction” in which crabbers would submit a bid stating how much money they would be willing to surrender their licenses for. Then it would either accept or reject the offer.
John M.R. Bull, a spokesman for the commission, informed that this is not a negotiation but an effort to reduce the number of watermen, full time, of the crabbers. He also told that the offer would be available to crabbers who hold the state’s 2,034 active commercial licenses, plus the 527 licenses the state suspended last fall due to inactivity.
Ken Smith, president of the Virginia State Waterman’s Association, said watermen won’t oppose the program. The state would pay for the program using part of the $10 million it received last fall from Congress after the crab fishery was declared a “disaster.” Depending on the number of crab pots attached to them, licenses are selling for $1,500 to $5,000.
According to Bull the state would likely pay more money for licenses that are heavily fished as opposed to the suspended licenses. Commission members will discuss the matter today and, possibly, set a public hearing next month to implement the program.
