Kodiak Stand-Down Continues Over Tanner Crab Price Offer

A harvester stand-down continues in Kodiak, Alaska over the price offered by processors there for the Tanner crab season that opened Jan. 15.

Kodiak Crab Alliance Cooperative (KCAC) spokesman Kevin Abena, skipper of the f/v Big Blue, said the Cooperative did not meet on the evening of Sunday, Jan. 22, with its permit holder members.

Abena said 130 permit holders whom KCAC represents don’t feel they should go fishing at the $2.50 a pound offer from Kodiak processors. 

Last year, Kodiak processors paid up to $8.40 a pound for the Tanners.

This year’s quota for the Kodiak area Tanner crag fishery is 5.8 million pounds.

Abena said that KCAC went back to Kodiak processors on Saturday, Jan. 21, with two options: a base price of $3.25 a pound plus matching a final settlement on the price of the Bering Sea crab, or $5 a pound.

Abena said he feels there is definitely more money in Kodiak for the Tanner crab.

“We are standing down and don’t plan to meet again until we get a final offer,” he said.

Kodiak processors to date have not budged from their initial offer of $2.50 a pound and have not commented on the negotiations.

Tanner crab permit holders at Chignik and the Alaska Peninsula meanwhile are now fishing. 

Chignik harvesters have reached price agreements with Peter Pan Seafood Co. for $3.25 and profit sharing. For the Alaska Peninsula, the agreements included $3.50 a pound with Western Seafoods and $3.20 a pound and matching the final price on Bering Sea Tanner crab with Unisea Seafoods.

Source: https://fishermensnews.com/kodiak-stand-down-continues-over-tanner-crab-price-offer/