The price of crab plunged from 1995 to 1997. What lessons can be learned from that experience?
The lesson is that when external factors line up to lessen the value of our fishery, the only hope of retaining its value is to ensure a stable and orderly fishery. The fishery has to start on time, prices to harvesters have to be fair and realistic, and processors must be able to plan how they will interact with the market. Otherwise, disorder ensues as in 1997, and everybody loses.
