Louisiana Crawfish Processors in a Bind Over H2B Changes: No Permits Available, and Wages up Sharply
Wage hikes and worker cap limits to the H2B visa program could result in a shortage of crawfish and much higher prices for the item at the height of its season. Processors have been unable to find workers with the federal cap limit on H2B workers already reached. If they do find workers processors must pay them at significantly higher rates compared to last year. “We feel this is going to drive the price of crawfish beyond what consumers are willing to pay. Some restaurants may resort to the use of imports and the public may stop buying,” said Frank Randol, a seafood processor and owner of Randol’s Restaurant.
Russian will subsidize its Pollock fishermen with as much as $100 million over the next three years to increase its domestic processing capacity and increase sales to the EU. Most the subsidies will be allocated through zero or very low interest loans. As for the Russian salmon industry, Pacific production has been estimated to reach 430,000 tons for 2015, a 30 percent increase over last year.
In other news sablefish and toohfish prices are at all-time highs in the Japanese market. Strong Asian demand and the weak yen have caused the record run-up on prices for the whitefish items. "The price of toothfish has now climbed to a level that only luxury restaurants can afford to buy," said one fisheries executive based in Japan.
Finally, there are plenty of buyers interested in picking up a halibut fishing permit this year but fewer sellers. “There certainly is a feeling out there that maybe things have bottomed out and maybe things will improve from here and we see that in the prices that people are willing to pay for halibut quota,” said Homer’s Doug Bowen at Alaska Boats and Permits.
To Read Full Story Login Below.