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Crabbers feeling the pinch
By DOUG GIBBS, Daily News Correspondent
ENGELHARD — For generations, area watermen have made their livings catching hard crabs in the Pamlico Sound. The 2006 season is proving to be difficult for many fishermen.
Donald Harris, who owns Gull Rock Seafood in Engelhard, has been a seafood dealer for more than 30 years.
“The crabbers are quitting because they can’t catch enough crabs to pay their living expenses,” he said. “Even if the crabbers were catching crabs, they couldn’t sell them because the crab-picking houses cannot sell the meat.”
Many crab-processing houses on the coast of North Carolina have gone out of business, according to Harris.
At one time, at least 35 crab-processing houses along the North Carolina coast were in operation, he said. Today, there are about 10 crab-picking houses in operation. Many of them are operating at only about one-third of their capacities, said Harris, who is debating whether he will pick crabs later this summer.
Harris also believes that foreign markets are harming North Carolina crabbers. A lot of crab meat is being shipped to the United States from Venezuela, he said. The foreign crab meat is being sold in this country for about $4.25 per pound, Harris said. Domestic crab meat processed in this country sells from $7 to $8 per pound. The domestic market cannot compete with cheap labor prices overseas, he said.
“A tariff should be charged on the foreign crab meat that is being brought into this country,” Harris said.
Patrice and Chris Clark operate Mattamuskeet Seafood in Engelhard. The company buys hard crabs from area crabbers. According to Patrice Clark, many crabbers who used to work in the Pamlico Sound now fish in the Alligator River because few crabs are being caught in the Pamlico Sound.
The Clarks also said high fuel prices are hurting area crabbers, many of whom cannot afford to move their crabbing operations.
Crabbers and seafood dealers aren’t the only ones with concerns over the crab industry.
The state’s Division of Marine Fisheries, in its report card on the health of fisheries, lists blue crab in its “concerned” category.
The report card comprises five categories — viable, recovering, concern, overfished and unknown.
The report card states: “Blue crabs continue to support North Carolina’s most valuable commercial fishery; topping the list for overall pounds harvested. However, the 2005 fishery yielded the lowest landings and value during the 10-year period 1996-2005. Significantly reduced landings of hard blue crabs for 2000-2002 and 2004-2005, following the historically record high landings observed during 1996-1999, have caused increased industry concern for the health of the resource and fishery.”
Donald Harris, who owns Gull Rock Seafood in Engelhard, has been a seafood dealer for more than 30 years.
“The crabbers are quitting because they can’t catch enough crabs to pay their living expenses,” he said. “Even if the crabbers were catching crabs, they couldn’t sell them because the crab-picking houses cannot sell the meat.”
Many crab-processing houses on the coast of North Carolina have gone out of business, according to Harris.
At one time, at least 35 crab-processing houses along the North Carolina coast were in operation, he said. Today, there are about 10 crab-picking houses in operation. Many of them are operating at only about one-third of their capacities, said Harris, who is debating whether he will pick crabs later this summer.
Harris also believes that foreign markets are harming North Carolina crabbers. A lot of crab meat is being shipped to the United States from Venezuela, he said. The foreign crab meat is being sold in this country for about $4.25 per pound, Harris said. Domestic crab meat processed in this country sells from $7 to $8 per pound. The domestic market cannot compete with cheap labor prices overseas, he said.
“A tariff should be charged on the foreign crab meat that is being brought into this country,” Harris said.
Patrice and Chris Clark operate Mattamuskeet Seafood in Engelhard. The company buys hard crabs from area crabbers. According to Patrice Clark, many crabbers who used to work in the Pamlico Sound now fish in the Alligator River because few crabs are being caught in the Pamlico Sound.
The Clarks also said high fuel prices are hurting area crabbers, many of whom cannot afford to move their crabbing operations.
Crabbers and seafood dealers aren’t the only ones with concerns over the crab industry.
The state’s Division of Marine Fisheries, in its report card on the health of fisheries, lists blue crab in its “concerned” category.
The report card comprises five categories — viable, recovering, concern, overfished and unknown.
The report card states: “Blue crabs continue to support North Carolina’s most valuable commercial fishery; topping the list for overall pounds harvested. However, the 2005 fishery yielded the lowest landings and value during the 10-year period 1996-2005. Significantly reduced landings of hard blue crabs for 2000-2002 and 2004-2005, following the historically record high landings observed during 1996-1999, have caused increased industry concern for the health of the resource and fishery.”
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