Cost and Revenue Characteristics of the Salmon Fisheries in California 

and Oregon

Steven C. Hackett

M. Doreen Hansen

Department of Economics

Humboldt State University

Arcata, California

A Report in Fulfillment of Subcontract 8404-S-004, National Marine Fisheries Service.

October 3, 2008
1

I. INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this report is to summarize and analyze secondary survey data recently gathered in 

California and Oregon from commercial salmon fishery participants. The overall goal is to use the survey 

data to improved information on vessel operating costs and revenues. The resulting study, summarized in 

report form, will provide a current picture of the salmon troll fleet characteristics.

This subcontract was supported by funds provided by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS, or 

NOAA Fisheries Service). These funds were provided to support the regulatory efforts of the Oregon 

Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) and California Department of Fish and Game (CDFG). The 

analysis in this report was conducted using secondary data that was originally gathered by Hackett and 

Hansen (2008) and by Lian and others at NOAA Fisheries Service. No funds from Subcontract 8404-S004 were used to support survey research. California survey data were gathered with funding under a 

separate contract from CDFG, while Oregon survey data were gathered by the NOAA Fisheries Service

under a separate contract.

Cost and revenue summary data were prepared in consultation with representatives of CDFG and ODFW. 

Each agency utilizes its own methods for economic analysis, and the summary data in this report reflect

the specific data requirements of these state agencies. State and federal regulatory agencies can use the 

cost and revenue information in this report to conduct economic impact and other assessment, and 

ultimately to facilitate resource management decisions: (1) by determining least cost (to fishermen) 

management alternatives, (2) estimating relationships to and impacts on other fisheries (other fishery 

alternatives), (3) giving consideration to the social costs and benefits of management actions, (4) 

estimating economic impacts on coastal communities in terms of sales, personal income, and 

employment, and (5) forecasting likely future outcomes associated with different resource abundances 

and regulatory frameworks.

The first part of this report briefly describes the resource and regulatory context for this report. We then 

turn to a brief description of the survey data and methods. This section also includes a description of cost 

categories, operational configurations (California), and FEAM (Fishery Economic Assessment Model)

vessel classes (Oregon). The last section of this report contains the cost and revenue tables that form the 

core of this report. 

II. RESOURCE AND REGULATORY CONTEXT

This report is focused on the costs and revenues associated with the commercial salmon fisheries in 

California and Oregon. Commercial salmon fishermen may target various non-salmon species, and in 

order to understand fishing costs one must include a complex of species. In consultation with California 

and Oregon fisheries experts, characteristic species groups targeted by salmon fishermen are addressed in 

this report. Key target species or species groups addressed in this report include Chinook salmon 

(Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch), albacore tuna (Thunnus alalunga),

Dungeness crab (Cancer magister), sablefish (Anoplopoma fimbria), ocean shrimp (Pandalus jordani), 

and various groundfish and highly migratory species (HMS).

No single agency is responsible for all Pacific salmon management because salmon cross many 

geographical and political boundaries, which makes their management complex. The state commissions 

governing the California Department of Fish and Game and the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife 

set salmon seasons in their respective state waters, including coastal waters extending three miles 

offshore. The NMFS sets all seasons in the Exclusive Economic Zone beyond the three-mile limit out to 

200 miles. California and Oregon are members of the Pacific Fisheries Management Council (PFMC), 
2

and present data and information for review during the season-setting process. Each year the PFMC

develops management measures that establish fishing areas, seasons, quotas, legal gear, possession and 

landing restrictions, and minimum lengths for salmon taken in federal waters off Washington, Oregon, 

and California (Boydstun et al. 2001). These measures are designed to prevent overfishing and to allocate

the ocean harvest equitably among ocean commercial and recreational fisheries. The measures must meet 

the goals of the Fishery Management Plan, which addresses spawning escapement needs and allows for 

freshwater fisheries. The needs of salmon species listed under the federal Endangered Species Act must 

also be met as part of the process (Boydstun et al. 2001).

The PFMC makes annual recommendations to NMFS for ocean salmon seasons. Once the federal season 

setting process is completed the respective state fishing commissions normally adopt a similar set of 

regulations for state waters. Moreover, American Indian tribes play a key co-management role in

managing salmon fisheries and in conserving salmon populations through harvest management, tribal 

hatchery programs, habitat protection, and restoration and biological studies.

Various factors have contributed to declining salmon stocks, including the destruction of spawning 

habitat, pollution, fishing pressure, and fluctuating ocean conditions (Boydstun et al. 2001). Conditions in 

the Klamath River basin system have been of particular concern. Chinook salmon represents the primary 

commercial salmon species in this area, and stocks in the Oregon and California interface were so 

depressed in the early 1980s that a recovery plan was adopted in 1986, leading to the creation of the 

Klamath Management Zone (KMZ). The KMZ extends from Port Orford in southern Oregon to Point

Arena in northern California. The KMZ restricts salmon landings for commercial and recreational 

fisheries to allow for escapement back to spawning areas (PFMC 2008b).

In recent years the Chinook salmon fisheries in California and Oregon have been in crisis. In 2006 the 

PFMC recommended closures and other restrictions for commercial and recreational fishermen for 

California and Oregon, and the NOAA Fisheries Service adopted those recommendations, sharply 

reducing ocean salmon fishing in 2006 (Schwarzenegger 2006). NOAA Fisheries Service closed the 

commercial salmon season in southern Oregon and north of Pt. Arena in California, and much of the rest 

of California saw an abbreviated season (NOAA Fisheries Service 2006). California and Oregon salmon 

landings in 2006 were down 83 percent from 2005, and 87 percent from 2004 (National Marine Fisheries 

Service SW Office 2008). The impending closure and restrictions prompted disaster relief fund petition 

letters to the federal government from both the Oregon and California governors four days before the 

NOAA announcement (Schwarzenegger 2006; Kulongoski 2006).

With the severe reduction in the supply of salmon, the average West Coast ex-vessel price in 2006 was 

the second highest received since 1979 (PFMC 2007). Although fishermen benefited from these high exvessel prices, average ex-vessel revenue per vessel dropped by over 50 percent in Oregon and by 41 

percent in California (PFMC 2007). In 2006, 489 California commercial fishermen landed 1.04 million 

pounds (dressed) of salmon on 477 vessels. This California fleet total represents the lowest number of 

commercial fishing vessels that targeted salmon since the beginning of PFMC’s database in 1960 (PFMC 

2001). By comparison, 680 commercial vessels targeted salmon in California in 2005. The value of 

California commercial salmon landings in 2006 totaled $5.3 million (in 2007 $), down from $12.9 million 

in 2005 (in 2007 $) (PFMC 2007). Oregon’s 2006 salmon season saw its second lowest number of 

participating commercial vessels since the beginning of PFMC’s Oregon database in 1974. Three hundred 

and fifty-seven vessels landed 499,000 pounds (dressed) salmon valued $2.7 million (in 2007 $). By way 

of comparison, 565 vessels landed 2.7 million pounds (dressed) of salmon worth $8.5 million in 2005 (in 

2007 $) (PFMC 2007).

In 2008 the PFMC recommended a complete closure of commercial and sport Chinook fisheries off
3

California and most of Oregon, and allowed only a 9,000 fish catch for hatchery coho salmon off Central 

and southern Oregon (PFMC 2008a). The closures were aimed at conserving Sacramento River fall-run 

Chinook salmon. On April 10th 2008 Governors Schwarzenegger and Kulongoski issued executive orders 

declaring a state of emergency in their respective states due to low numbers of Chinook salmon returns 

(Schwarzenegger 2008; Kulongoski 2008). On May 1st 2008 the NOAA Fisheries Service closed the 

federal ocean salmon fishery south of Cape Falcon, Oregon, and Secretary of Commerce Gutierrez (2008) 

declared a commercial fishery failure for the West Coast salmon fishery due to historically low salmon 

returns. Once again the impending salmon season closures and restrictions prompted disaster relief 

petitions to the federal government from both the California and Oregon Governors. 

Following each of the salmon fishery crises described above, federal legislation provided disaster aid for 

all affected west coast states. The total dollar amount of the disaster payments to the states ($60.4 million 

in 2006 and $170 million in 2008) was ultimately derived from a negotiated political process involving 

consultations and meetings between industry representatives, elected government officials, and 

government agencies. The bulk of the aid packages focused on assisting commercial salmon fishermen. 

For 2006, all current salmon permit holders in California were given $1,000. In addition to the permit 

allowance, a catch payment for California permit holders was determined based on a selected best 

season’s landings from the previous three years multiplied by a price per pound figure (approximately 60 

percent of the previous year’s nominal average ex-vessel price). For 2008, California fishermen would 

receive the greater of a minimum payment of $5,000 or a catch payment (similar to 2006) not exceeding a 

$225,000 cap (California Salmon Council 2007 and 2008). Oregon’s 2006 and 2008 disasters payments 

went to all qualifying fishermen who were reimbursed for at least 50 percent of their ex-vessel value for a 

selected previous year’s landings up to a $75,000 cap (Oregon Salmon Commission 2007 and Pacific 

States Fisheries Marine Commission 2008).

The net revenue estimates provided in section IV of this report provide insight into the economic distress 

confronting participants in the California and Oregon salmon fisheries in 2006. As was described above, 

however, the disaster payments were based on the more robust economic conditions in these fisheries in

prior years and not on estimated losses in 2006. Moreover, the net revenue estimates in this report are 

entirely based on income from commercial fishing, and do not include the disaster payments. The recent 

and repeated failure of the west coast salmon fisheries underscores the importance of understanding the 

underlying economic conditions in these fisheries.

III. DATA SOURCES AND METHODS OF ANALYSIS

This section of the report is divided into two subsections – one for California and one for Oregon. Each 

provides a brief description of the surveys from which this report draws summary cost and revenue data. 

Each subsection also includes a description of the cost categories, operational configurations (California), 

and FEAM vessel classes (Oregon). Note that aggregated cost and revenue data for salmon fisheries in 

California and Oregon are also provided in supplementary Excel files accompanying this report.

III.A. California

The analysis presented in this section of the report derives from secondary data gathered from a California 

commercial fisherman survey that was conducted in 2007 by Hackett and Hansen (2008), funded by 

CDFG. All salmon fishermen who made landings in 2006 in California received a survey requesting

economic and demographic data. The total research design method (Dillman 1978) was followed. Quality 

assurance and quality control methods helped limit potential errors in response interpretation and data 

tabulation.
4

Hackett and Hansen merged the disaggregated survey data with license and landings receipt datasets 

provided by CDFG. These additional data were then used to infer both unit and item non-responses and 

create a complete dataset for estimated costs and revenues for 550 California commercial fishermen

targeting salmon or albacore during the 2006 salmon season. This dataset can be used by CDFG to 

evaluate aggregated cost, revenue, and profit conditions for California’s commercial salmon fishermen, as 

well as to conduct economic impact analyses of management and other discrete events affecting fishing 

activity and landings in California’s commercial fisheries (e.g., see Minnesota IMPLAN Group 2008). 

For the purpose of describing California’s salmon fishing activity, commercial fishermen (rather than

vessels) were categorized into distinct operational configurations (OCs) constructed in collaboration with

Terry Tillman of CDFG. The 550 fishermen are grouped into four salmon OCs depending on species 

landed, size of vessel, and gear type used to land the targeted species. The result of this process is 

illustrated in Table 1. It should be noted that within the “Salmon & Albacore” OC, a large number of the

fishermen only landed albacore in 2006, though many used salmon troll gear and were active in the 

salmon fishery in previous years. In collaboration with Terry Tillman it was determined that the albacoreonly fishermen should be categorized in the “Salmon & Albacore” OC since albacore and salmon gear 

types are similar, and many salmon fishermen target albacore as well.

Table 1: California's Salmon Operational Configurations*

Operational Configuration Vessel Size Gear Types Fishing Seasons

Salmon Any Salmon Troll, Hook and Line Summer to Fall 

Salmon & Albacore** Any Salmon and Albacore Troll, 

Hook and Line Early Summer to Fall

Salmon & Dungeness – Small

Vessels < 26' Salmon Troll, Hook and 

Line, Crab Trap Winter to Fall

Salmon & Dungeness –

Medium and Large Vessels 26' and Larger Salmon Troll, Hook and 

Line, Crab Trap Winter to Fall

* Source: Hackett and Hansen (2008)

** Data for this OC includes costs and revenue from some fishermen who fish albacore but not salmon. 

All cost data are in nominal 2006 dollars. Cost data are divided into fixed and variable (operating) cost 

categories, as shown in Tables 2 and 3. Nearly half of the fixed costs concern elective purchases and 

maintenance of the vessel’s hull, engine, electronic gear, and fishing gear. These particular costs are 

broken down in such a way as to conform to IMPLAN modeling requirements.
5

Table 2: California Fixed Cost Categories*

Fixed Cost Categories Description

Engine Repair Annual Expenditures on engine repairs

Engine Purchase Annual Expenditures on engine purchases

Electrical Gear Repair Annual Expenditures on electronic repairs

Electrical Gear Purchase Annual Expenditures on electronic purchases

Hull Repair Annual Expenditures on hull repairs

Hull Purchase Annual Expenditures on hull purchases

Other Gear Repair Annual Expenditures on gear repairs

Other Gear Purchase Annual Expenditures on gear purchases

Vessel Insurance Annual Insurance costs

Storage Annual Storage costs

Interest Annual Interest paid

Federal Taxes Federal Taxes paid in 2006

State Taxes State Taxes paid in 2006

Boat Registration Fees Annual Boat Registration Fees

Permit Fees Annual Permit Fees

Commercial License Annual Commercial Fishing License Fee

Slip Annual Home Slip costs

Other Slip Annual Slip Costs other than home slip costs

* Source: Hackett and Hansen (2008)
6

Table 3: California Variable Cost Categories*

Variable Cost Categories Description

Bait Annual Bait Costs

Wage Annual expenditures on Crew Wages

Food Annual Food Costs

Fuel Annual Fuel Costs

Harbor Annual Harbor Fees 

Ice Annual Ice Costs

Transportation Annual Transportation Costs related to fishing

Membership Annual Fishing Membership Fees

Landing Taxes Annual Landing Taxes paid

* Source: Hackett and Hansen (2008)

Fishermen’s costs are also categorized into four different vessel size classes: vessels under 26’; vessels 

between 26’ and 36’; vessels over 36’; and “unclassified”. The “unclassified” category refers to costs 

associated with fishermen who did not make landings in vessels that they either owned or that were 

“business owned” (based on CDFG vessel registration records). These unclassified cases represent 

fishermen who shared or leased the use of vessels owned by others. An additional instance concerning 

unclassified fishermen is when multiple fishermen land in a single vessel and the fish dealer fills out a 

landing receipt for each fisherman’s landings, often called a “split ticket”. These split tickets comprise 10

to 20 percent of recorded landings (Leos 2008). Therefore, one or more of these fishermen land in a 

vessel they are not registered to own, and so cannot be placed into a specific vessel size class.

California (ex-vessel) revenue data are obtained through CDFG landings receipt records, which are 

usually completed when fish are off-loaded from vessels by receiver/processors. There are several data 

reporting issues that can distort landings and revenue data at the individual fisherman level. In some 

cases, fishermen borrow or lease each other’s vessels, and the license number of the registered vessel 

owner may be recorded on the landing receipt rather than the landing fisherman’s license number. 

Moreover, as landing receipts are designed to only record one license number per landing, if several 

licensed commercial fishermen contribute to a single landing, the participation of all but one of these 

“phantom” fishermen is lost to the empirical record (Leos 2008). While these reporting practices may

result in an incorrect count of active commercial fishermen and a distorted measure of average revenue, 

total revenue measures should be less affected.
7

III.B. Oregon

With the cooperation of the Pacific States marine Fisheries Commission, personnel from the NMFS 

Northwest Fisheries Science Center conducted coast-wide economic surveys in 2007 (NOAA NMFS 

2008). In-person interviews were used to collect 2005 and 2006 costs from commercial open access 

groundfish vessels in California, Oregon, and Washington (CA/OR/WA), as well as various types of 

vessels targeting salmon and other species groups. The survey population criteria required that all 

commercial fishing vessels “(1) did not have a federal limited entry permit during 2005-06, (2) earned at 

least $2,000 from West Coast groundfish and salmon landings during 2005-06, and (3) earned at least five

percent of their West Coast landed revenue from groundfish and salmon (this five percent rule was

designed to exclude vessels that target HMS or coastal pelagic species but have a small amount of 

groundfish or salmon bycatch, and would not be receptive to a groundfish/salmon survey)” (Lian 2007).

All cost data in this section are derived from the NMFS survey, while revenue data are sourced from the 

PacFin database. Cost categories are grouped into the following fixed and variable costs categories 

(Tables 4 and 5).

Table 4: Oregon and CA/OR/WA Fixed Cost Categories*

Fixed Cost Categories Description

Repair, Maintenance, and Improvements Mean annual expenditures on repair, maintenance,

 and improvements for vessel, gear, and equipment

Insurance Mean Annual Expenditures on vessel insurance

Interest Mean Annual Expenditures on Interest

Permit Lease Mean Annual Expenditures on permit leasing

Permit Purchase Mean Annual Expenditures on permit purchases

* Source: NOAA NMFS (2008)

Table 5: Oregon and CA/OR/WA Variable Cost Categories*

Variable Cost Categories Description

Bait Mean Annual Bait Costs

Captain Wage Mean Annual expenditures on Captain Wages

Crew Wage Mean Annual expenditures on Crew Wages

Food Mean Annual Food Costs

Fuel Mean Annual Fuel Costs

Ice Mean Annual Ice Costs

* Source: NOAA NMFS (2008)
8

The specific cost and revenue data requirements for the Oregon portion of this study were developed in 

close consultation with Chris Carter and Christine Broniak at ODFW, as constrained by the nature of the 

NMFS survey from which the data are drawn. ODFW utilizes the FEAM (Fisheries Economic 

Assessment Model) vessel-level framework in its economic analysis of commercial fisheries, which 

conforms to the vessel-level focus of the NMFS survey. Table 6 describes the relevant FEAM vessel 

categories used in this analysis.

Table 6: Oregon Vessel Categories*

Vessel Type Description

Sablefish Fixed Gear Sablefish revenue from fixed gear is greater than 33% of that vessel's total

revenue, and total revenue is greater than $15,000

Other Groundfish Fixed Gear

Groundfish (including halibut and California halibut), other than sablefish,

revenue from fixed gear is greater than 33% of that vessel's total revenue, and

total revenue is greater than $15,000

Pelagic Netter Pelagic species revenue is greater than 33% of that vessel's total revenue, and

total revenue is greater than $15,000

Migratory Netter 

Highly migratory species revenue from gear other than troll or line gear is

greater than 33% of that vessel's total revenue, and total revenue is greater than

$15,000

Shrimper Shrimp revenue is greater than 33% of that vessel's total revenue, and total

revenue is greater than $15,000

Crabber Crab revenue is greater than 33% of that vessel's total revenue, and total

revenue is greater than $15,000

Salmon Troller Salmon revenue from troll gear is greater than 33% of that vessel's total

revenue, and total revenue is greater than $5,000

Other > $15,000 All other vessels not listed in FEAM vessel categories 1 to 17 with total 

revenue greater than $15,000

Other ≤ $15,000 All other vessels not listed in FEAM vessel categories 1 to 17

with total revenue less than or equal to $15,000

* Source: Research Group (2006)
9

IV. SUMMARY COST AND REVENUE DATA

Summary cost and revenue data are presented in two subsections below – one each for California and 

Oregon. As different survey instruments were used, the data in IV.A are not directly comparable to those 

in IV.B.

IV.A. California

California Costs by Operational Configuration

The top three expenditures by OC are given in Table 7. Vessel and gear repairs/ maintenance tend 

dominate the fixed cost categories, while crew wages and fuel are the largest expenses for variable costs.

It is notable that fixed costs have higher percentages in the Salmon and the Salmon Albacore OCs, while 

variable costs (particularly crew wages) are higher for the Salmon and Dungeness OCs.

Table 7: Top Three 2006 CA Commercial Salmon Cost Categories by OC*

Top Three Costs

Operational Configuration Fixed Cost

% of 

Total Variable Cost

% of 

Total

Salmon Other Gear Purchase 9.38 Wage 7.25

Engine Purchase 7.96 Fuel 6.70

Slip Costs 7.34 Transport 4.52

Salmon & Albacore Hull Repair 11.04 Fuel 8.59

Other Gear Purchase 9.29 Wage 8.03

Interest 7.43 Transport 3.72

Salmon & Dungeness – Small Engine Purchase 9.51 Wage 18.92

Vessels Fed Tax 5.58 Fuel 12.71

Other Gear Repair 5.53 Transport 7.05

Salmon & Dungeness – Other Gear Purchase 8.68 Wage 16.53

Medium & Large Vessels Fed Tax 7.84 Fuel 6.77

Hull Repair 7.31 Bait 5.06

All Salmon Fisheries Other Gear Purchase 8.98 Wage 11.58

Hull Repair 7.36 Fuel 6.99

Other Gear Repair 7.12 Transport 4.06

* Source: Hackett and Hansen (2008)
10

Tables 8 through 11 give total and average cost for each of the 27 cost categories from the Hackett and 

Hansen (2008) survey. Average costs are calculated on a “per-fisherman” basis (not per vessel, as with 

the Oregon data), as some fishermen do not own vessels or may share the use of a vessel. Each table 

provides these costs for a given OC. Costs are further disaggregated into the four vessel size classes 

described in section III.A. above.
11

Table 8: Estimated Costs Incurred in the CA Salmon OC by Vessel Size Class in 2006*

Estimated Total Cost ($) Estimated Average Cost ($)

Vessel Size Class Unclassified < 26' 26' - 36' > 36' All Unclassified < 26' 26' - 36' > 36'

Number of Fishermen 73 84 124 60 341 73 84 124 60

Cost Category

Engine Repair 77,041 88,151 223,991 75,869 465,052 988 1,062 1,750 1,431

Engine Purchase 75,136 110,301 386,614 31,846 603,897 963 1,329 3,020 601

Electrical Gear Repair 25,562 17,219 76,616 62,902 182,299 328 207 599 1,187

Electrical Gear Purchase 70,150 34,403 88,466 39,350 232,369 899 414 691 742

Hull Repair 71,366 42,485 237,592 179,025 530,467 915 512 1,856 3,378

Hull Purchase 43,999 35,208 108,475 39,592 227,273 564 424 847 747

Other Gear Repair 69,581 82,780 243,576 155,233 551,170 892 997 1,903 2,929

Other Gear Purchase 141,401 61,983 336,442 172,396 712,220 1,813 747 2,628 3,253

Vessel Insurance 43,005 40,484 86,849 48,123 218,461 551 488 679 908

Storage 23,746 50,224 80,100 29,722 183,792 304 605 626 561

Interest 51,325 21,826 227,093 118,879 419,123 658 263 1,774 2,243

Federal Taxes 81,062 84,451 162,080 65,856 393,449 1,039 1,017 1,266 1,243

State Taxes 15,665 16,352 28,504 11,639 72,160 201 197 223 220

Boat Reg. Fees 0 19,951 32,622 10,671 63,244 0 240 255 201

Permit Fees 1,889 1,272 2,970 2,907 9,039 24 15 23 55

Commercial License 5,892 6,779 11,583 3,778 28,032 76 82 90 71

Slip 94,018 100,182 258,877 103,993 557,071 1,205 1,207 2,022 1,962

Other Slip 8,191 2,621 2,138 249 13,199 105 32 17 5

Bait 25,967 26,262 68,007 90,004 210,240 333 316 531 1,698

Wage 95,011 123,307 235,993 95,889 550,201 1,218 1,486 1,844 1,809

Food 45,676 56,768 130,141 74,465 307,050 586 684 1,017 1,405

Fuel 115,117 84,630 183,784 124,761 508,291 1,476 1,020 1,436 2,354

Harbor 11,067 19,341 29,882 10,519 70,808 142 233 233 198

Ice 15,331 9,938 26,308 20,556 72,132 197 120 206 388

Transportation 72,225 70,451 142,943 57,783 343,403 926 849 1,117 1,090

Membership 13,031 8,000 15,572 5,354 41,956 167 96 122 101

Landing Taxes 5,287 2,010 10,726 5,482 23,505 68 24 84 103

TOTAL COSTS 1,297,740 1,217,376 3,437,943 1,636,842 7,589,901 16,637 14,668 26,859 30,884

* Source: Hackett and Hansen (2008)
12

Table 9: Estimated Costs Incurred in the CA Salmon & Albacore OC by Vessel Size Class in 2006*

Estimated Total Cost ($) Estimated Average Cost ($)

Vessel Size Class Unclassified < 26' 26' - 36' > 36' All Unclassified < 26' 26' - 36' > 36'

Number of Fishermen 10 6 8 38 62 10 6 8 38

Cost Category

Engine Repair 10,541 2,246 3,200 39,560 55,547 1,054 449 400 1,014

Engine Purchase 11,618 3,433 5,397 15,761 36,208 1,162 687 675 404

Electrical Gear Repair 3,049 1,366 1,041 29,485 34,941 305 273 130 756

Electrical Gear Purchase 2,167 659 1,224 16,965 21,015 217 132 153 435

Hull Repair 30,148 852 3,378 98,437 132,816 3,015 170 422 2,524

Hull Purchase 13,874 730 1,516 19,604 35,724 1,387 146 189 503

Other Gear Repair 9,463 2,990 3,230 67,331 83,014 946 598 404 1,726

Other Gear Purchase 21,151 1,696 4,501 84,396 111,743 2,115 339 563 2,164

Vessel Insurance 28,388 2,140 1,997 31,080 63,605 2,839 428 250 797

Storage 3,168 762 1,039 12,718 17,687 317 152 130 326

Interest 22,894 1,027 3,685 61,840 89,446 2,289 205 461 1,586

Federal Taxes 18,534 1,989 2,480 51,636 74,639 1,853 398 310 1,324

State Taxes 4,160 513 453 9,801 14,927 416 103 57 251

Boat Reg. Fees 0 411 532 3,835 4,779 0 82 67 98

Permit Fees 177 103 98 658 1,036 18 21 12 17

Commercial License 588 155 150 1,698 2,592 59 31 19 44

Slip 13,016 1,545 3,536 46,679 64,776 1,302 309 442 1,197

Other Slip 1,096 57 14 452 1,618 110 11 2 12

Bait 1,916 11,273 1,274 20,592 35,056 192 2,255 159 528

Wage 24,463 9,027 4,666 58,541 96,696 2,446 1,805 583 1,501

Food 6,936 1,049 1,262 26,428 35,676 694 210 158 678

Fuel 30,976 6,040 3,693 62,613 103,320 3,098 1,208 462 1,605

Harbor 5,083 6,784 381 3,725 15,972 508 1,357 48 96

Ice 5,260 1,999 326 8,757 16,341 526 400 41 225

Transportation 9,635 4,156 2,133 28,816 44,740 963 831 267 739

Membership 962 1,171 329 5,187 7,649 96 234 41 133

Landing Taxes 483 14 111 1,292 1,900 48 3 14 33

TOTAL COSTS 279,744 64,188 51,644 807,888 1,203,465 27,974 12,837 6,456 20,715

* Source: Hackett and Hansen (2008)
13

Table 10: Estimated Costs Incurred in the CA Salmon & Dungeness – Small Vessels OC by

Vessel Size Class in 2006*

Estimated Total Cost ($) Estimated Average Cost ($)

Vessel Size Class Unclassified < 26' All Unclassified < 26'

Number of Fishermen 2 11 13 2 11

Cost Category

Engine Repair 2,452 9,419 11,870 1,226 856

Engine Purchase 7,300 23,384 30,684 3,650 2,126

Electrical Gear Repair 1,231 2,206 3,436 615 201

Electrical Gear Purchase 3,743 4,187 7,930 1,872 381

Hull Repair 2,569 8,523 11,092 1,284 775

Hull Purchase 1,925 9,123 11,047 962 829

Other Gear Repair 4,367 13,491 17,858 2,183 1,226

Other Gear Purchase 4,496 11,469 15,965 2,248 1,043

Vessel Insurance 1,525 6,271 7,796 763 570

Storage 2,000 6,145 8,145 1,000 559

Interest 122 2,177 2,299 61 198

Federal Taxes 7,383 10,629 18,013 3,692 966

State Taxes 936 2,584 3,520 468 235

Boat Reg. Fees 0 3,257 3,257 0 296

Permit Fees 0 1,468 1,468 0 133

Commercial License 204 830 1,034 102 75

Slip 2,500 14,968 17,468 1,250 1,361

Other Slip 0 0 0 0 0

Bait 2,400 7,747 10,147 1,200 704

Wage 19,003 42,074 61,077 9,501 3,825

Food 1,775 4,752 6,527 888 432

Fuel 9,053 31,961 41,014 4,527 2,906

Harbor 3,100 1,651 4,751 1,550 150

Ice 0 0 0 0 0

Transportation 3,500 19,251 22,751 1,750 1,750

Membership 40 1,325 1,365 20 120

Landing Taxes 1,183 1,099 2,283 592 100

TOTAL COSTS 82,806 239,992 322,797 41,403 21,817

* Source: Hackett and Hansen (2008)
14

Table 11: Estimated Costs Incurred in the CA Salmon & Dungeness – Medium and Large Vessels

OC by Vessel Size Class in 2006*

Estimated Total Cost ($) Estimated Average Cost ($)

Vessel Size Class Unclassified 26' - 36' > 36' All Unclassified 26' - 36' > 36'

Number of Fishermen 27 52 75 148 27 52 75

Cost Category

Engine Repair 37,054 100,704 127,009 264,767 1,372 1,937 1,740

Engine Purchase 46,265 166,036 60,584 272,885 1,714 3,193 830

Electrical Gear Repair 19,288 45,293 108,941 173,522 714 871 1,492

Electrical Gear Purchase 30,382 40,134 73,470 143,986 1,125 772 1,006

Hull Repair 79,491 127,768 307,073 514,332 2,944 2,457 4,206

Hull Purchase 30,195 60,153 70,478 160,826 1,118 1,157 965

Other Gear Repair 85,154 134,625 277,942 497,722 3,154 2,589 3,807

Other Gear Purchase 130,483 150,172 329,598 610,253 4,833 2,888 4,515

Vessel Insurance 72,004 46,555 93,819 212,378 2,667 895 1,285

Storage 23,000 37,271 53,470 113,742 852 717 732

Interest 37,054 120,448 209,540 367,041 1,372 2,316 2,870

Federal Taxes 101,124 107,723 342,490 551,337 3,745 2,072 4,692

State Taxes 23,462 18,541 63,570 105,573 869 357 871

Boat Reg. Fees 0 18,754 25,542 44,296 0 361 350

Permit Fees 419 5,130 4,591 10,140 16 105 62

Commercial License 2,365 4,412 6,759 13,536 88 85 93

Slip 51,347 114,473 194,275 360,095 1,902 2,201 2,661

Other Slip 5,383 100 6,422 11,905 199 2 88

Bait 136,084 101,849 118,170 356,103 5,040 1,959 1,619

Wage 361,986 250,601 549,740 1,162,326 13,407 4,819 7,531

Food 45,245 57,674 124,898 227,817 1,676 1,109 1,711

Fuel 127,708 101,961 246,280 475,949 4,730 1,961 3,374

Harbor 5,004 25,945 12,180 43,129 185 499 167

Ice 11 70 0 80 0 1 0

Transportation 63,020 67,068 115,215 245,302 2,334 1,290 1,578

Membership 9,308 16,019 14,557 39,885 345 308 199

Landing Taxes 19,411 8,798 26,087 54,296 719 169 357

TOTAL COSTS 1,542,248 1,928,274 3,562,700 7,033,223 57,120 37,088 48,803

* Source: Hackett and Hansen (2008)
15

California Costs by County

According to CDFG landings records, commercial fishermen landed salmon in 18 California counties in 

2006. Sonoma County led the state in total number of commercial salmon fishing trips in 2006, followed 

by San Mateo and Mendocino Counties (Table 12). When the trip data are disaggregated by OC, the 

resulting lists of top three counties reveal considerable heterogeneity, with only Mendocino County 

appearing in the top-three lists for all OC’s (Table 13).

Table 12: Top Three California Counties Based on Frequency of All Commercial Salmon Fishing 

Trips in 2006*

County Shares of Total Statewide Trips in 2006 (%)

Sonoma 28.98

San Mateo 16.73

Mendocino 11.54

* Source: Hackett and Hansen (2008)

Table 13: Top Three California Counties Based on Frequency of All Commercial Salmon Fishing Trips in

2006, by OC*

Salmon Salmon & Albacore

Salmon & Dungeness –

Small Vessels

Salmon & Dungeness –

Medium & Large Vessels

County

Share of 

Statewide

Trips (%) County

Share of 

Statewide

Trips (%) County

Share of 

Statewide

Trips (%) County

Share of 

Statewide

Trips (%)

Sonoma 42 Humboldt 34 Marin 43 San Mateo 24

Monterey 21 Santa Cruz 17 Sonoma 18 Sonoma 23

Mendocino 12 Mendocino 10 Mendocino 14 Mendocino 11

* Source: Hackett and Hansen (2008)
16

One can see from Table 14 and Figure 1 below that Sonoma County ranks first among all California 

counties in terms of total costs associated with commercial salmon fishing in 2006, whereas Orange 

County ranked last.

Table 14: Estimated Commercial Salmon Costs Incurred in 2006, by California County (All OC’s)*

California County Total Cost ($) California County Average Cost ($)

Sonoma 2,034,785 San Diego 24,792

San Francisco 1,815,646 San Benito 22,425

Mendocino 1,410,632 Humboldt 21,406

Unknown 1,275,788 Los Angeles 18,433

Monterey 1,110,070 North Of California 18,189

Humboldt 984,654 Trinity 17,919

San Luis Obispo 966,359 Fresno 16,526

San Mateo 964,284 Santa Clara 16,385

Santa Cruz 859,542 Sacramento 14,662

Marin 291,862 Unknown 13,718

Del Norte 175,568 San Luis Obispo 13,238

San Diego 173,547 San Francisco 12,436

Santa Barbara 108,627 Santa Cruz 11,310

Los Angeles 92,163 Marin 11,225

Alameda 86,967 Mendocino 10,076

North Of California 72,756 Monterey 9,824

Sacramento 58,649 Contra Costa 9,271

Contra Costa 37,084 Santa Barbara 9,052

Ventura 33,671 Sonoma 8,443

Santa Clara 32,770 Ventura 8,418

San Benito 22,425 San Mateo 7,840

Trinity 17,919 Del Norte 7,023

Fresno 16,526 Alameda 4,141

Solano 10,753 Solano 3,584

Orange 2,460 Orange 2,460

* Source: Hackett and Hansen (2008)
17

Figure 1: Total Estimated 2006 Commercial Salmon Costs by California County (All OC’s)*

* Source: Hackett and Hansen (2008)

California Costs by Region

California can be divided into five coastal regions: North, North Central, Central, South Central, and 

South (Table 15). Commercial salmon costs by California coastal region are shown in Figure 2 below. 

Fishermen in the North Central region incurred the largest share of California’s total estimated 2006 

salmon costs, likely due to the large number of commercial fishermen making landings and having their 

home ports in this region. The southern regions have fewer salmon fishermen with home and landing 

ports in the area (as salmon are less frequently encountered off southern California), and thus contribute

the least to statewide costs.

Table 15: California Coastal Regions

Regions Counties

North Del Norte, Humboldt, Mendocino

North Central Alameda, Contra Costa, Marin, Napa, San Francisco, Santa Clara, Solano, Sonoma

Central Monterey, San Mateo, Santa Cruz

South Central San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, Ventura

South Los Angeles, Orange, San Diego

$0

$500,000

$1,000,000

$1,500,000

$2,000,000

$2,500,000

$3,000,000

Unknown

Alameda

Contra Costa 

Del Norte

Fresno 

Humboldt

Los Angeles 

Marin

Mendocino

Monterey

Orange

Sacramento

San Benito

San Diego

San Francisco

San Luis Obispo

San Mateo

Santa Barbara

Santa Clara

Santa Cruz

Solano

Sonoma

Trinity

Ventura

North Of California

Total 2006 Costs by County
18

Figure 2: Share of Total 2006 Commercial Salmon Costs by Coastal Region*

* Source: Hackett and Hansen (2008)

California Ex-Vessel Revenue and Net Revenue

California fishermen received nearly $15 million in gross revenue from commercial fishing activity in the 

four salmon OCs in 2006. As shown in Table 16, the majority of total revenue was generated from the 

Salmon & Dungeness – medium and large OC, due in large part to bountiful landings of valuable 

Dungeness crab by fishermen participating in that OC. As salmon ex-vessel revenue is further 

apportioned into vessel size classes, the larger vessels accrued the most revenue except in the case of the 

salmon OC, where medium sized vessels attained the highest total revenue (Table 17). Recall that exvessel revenue is solely derived from landing receipts from commercial fishing, and does not include 

disaster payments, income from other sources, or other transfers (e.g. Social Security).

Table 16: Ex-Vessel California Revenues in 2006 by OC*

Ex-Vessel Revenue in 

2006 ($)

Operational Configuration Total Average 

Salmon 2,801,917 8,217

Salmon & Albacore 550,182 8,874

Salmon & Dungeness – Small Vessels 300,847 23,142

Salmon & Dungeness – Med. & Large Vessels 11,205,875 75,715

 Total 14,858,821 26,345

*Source: CDFG 2006 landings receipt database

North

24%

North Central

39%

Central

26%

South Central

8%

South

3%

Share of Statewide Salmon Costs by Coastal Region
19

Table 17: Ex-Vessel California Revenue by OC and Vessel Size Class in 2006 *

Ex-Vessel Revenue in 2006

($)

Operational Configuration Size Total Average

Salmon

Unclassified 658,962 9,027

< 26’ 261,617 3,114

26’ – 36’ 1,103,370 8,898

> 36’ 77,968 12,966

Salmon & Albacore

Unclassified 82,476 8,248

< 26’ 13,565 2,261

26’ – 36’ 16,292 2,037

> 36’ 437,849 11,522

Salmon & Dungeness – Small Vessels Unclassified 115,379 57,690

< 26’ 185,468 16,861

Salmon & Dungeness – Med. & Large Vessels

Unclassified 2,137,792 79,177

26’ – 36’ 2,351,022 47,020

> 36’ 6,717,061 92,014

*Source: CDFG 2006 landings receipt database

Figure 3 provides information on the share of ex-vessel commercial fishing revenue in the four salmon 

OCs by California coastal region. The North Central region had the largest share of statewide ex-vessel 

revenue, while in contrast the South region had smallest share of revenue. 
20

Figure 3: Share of 2006 Ex-Vessel Commercial Revenue by California Coastal Region*

* Source: CDFG 2006 landings receipt database

Ex-vessel revenues in 2006 from the four commercial salmon OCs in California were heavily impacted 

by fishing restrictions that occurred along the coast. As mentioned in section II above, ex-vessel revenues 

in 2006 in California were down $7.6 million in nominal terms from 2005. The steep decline in revenue 

created negative net revenues in three of the four salmon OCs evaluated in this study, and for the entire 

California salmon fishery taken as a whole (Table 18). Table 19 further examines salmon net revenues 

within the OC’s vessel size classes. The disastrous season resulted in over half of the participating 2006 

salmon fishermen having negative net revenues (Table 20).

Table 18: California Net Revenues in 2006 by Operational Configuration*

OC

Total Net Revenues

($)

Average Net Revenues

($)

Salmon -4,787,984 -14,305

Salmon & Albacore -653,283 -10,537

Salmon & Dungeness – Small Vessels -21,950 -1,689

Salmon & Dungeness – Med. & Large

Vessels 4,172,652 28,194

All Salmon Fisheries -1,290,565 -2,346

*Source: Hackett and Hansen (2008) and CDFG

North

31%

North Central

42%

Central

14%

South Central

11%

South

2%

Share of Ex-Vessel Revenue By Coastal Region, All 

Salmon Operational Configurations
21

Table 19: 2006 California Estimated Net Revenue by Vessel Size Class and Operational Configuration*

Estimated Total Net Revenue ($) Estimated Average Net Revenue ($)

Vessel Size Class Unclassified < 26' 26' - 36' > 36' All Unclassified < 26' 26' - 36' > 36'

Operational Configuration

Salmon -638,778 -896,882 -2,279,137 -973,187 -4,787,984 -7,611 -11,329 -17,121 -18,817

Salmon Albacore -197,268 -50,623 -35,352 -370,039 -653,283 -19,727 -10,577 -4,419 -9,193

Salmon Dungeness – Small

Vessels 32,573 -54,524 n/a n/a -21,950 16,287 -4,956 n/a n/a

Salmon Dungeness – Med. &

Large Vessels 595,544 n/a 422,748 3,154,361 4,172,652 22,057 n/a 9,932 43,211

*Source: Hackett and Hansen (2008) and CDFG
22

Table 20: Net Revenue Status in 2006 for Commercial Fishermen Active in all California Salmon 

Operational Configurations

Number of Fishermen

Share of All CA Salmon 

Fishermen (%)

Negative Net Revenue 380 69

Positive Net Revenue 170 31

Total 550 100

*Source: Hackett and Hansen (2008) and CDFG

IV.B. Oregon

This section of the report is built on data from the NOAA NMFS (2008) survey covering open access 

groundfish vessels, as well as various types of vessels targeting salmon and other species groups. This 

survey collected cost data for California, Oregon, and Washington (CA/OR/WA) commercial fishing 

vessels, and the following tables provide information for vessels that landed salmon in 2005 and 2006. 

CA/OR/WA data refer to information drawn from (or aggregated by) the entire survey area, while Oregon 

data refer to information drawn from (or aggregated for) all Oregon vessels (defined as vessels that made 

a majority of their landings at Oregon ports in 2005 or 2006, as requested by ODFW personnel). As 

previously noted, revenue data for each state are derived from the PacFin database. Note that while the 

California data in section IV.A are aggregated from the individual fisherman level, the NOAA NMFS 

(2008) data reported below are aggregated from the individual vessel level. The vessel-level data for 

CA/OR/WA and for Oregon are organized for use in the FEAM vessel impacts model, as requested by 

ODFW personnel.

Tables 21 through 24 provide average costs for surveyed Oregon (OR) and for CA/OR/WA vessels 

landing salmon in 2006 and 2005 by cost categories and FEAM vessel type. ODFW personnel requested 

additional analysis specifically focused on the salmon troller FEAM vessel type, and this information is 

provided in Tables 25 through 27 below. From the list of top three cost categories for the salmon troller 

FEAM vessel type given in Table 25 below, one can see that captain’s wages and elective repairs and 

maintenance costs were consistently the top two. The third largest expense for these vessels in 2005 was 

crew wage, while in 2006 it was vessel fuel.
23

Table 21. 2006 Average Costs and Cost Shares for Oregon Survey Vessel Types*

2006 Average Costs ($) 

FEAM Vessel Type**

Sablefish 

Fixed 

Gear

Groundfish 

Fixed Gear HMS Crabber

Salmon 

Troller

Other 

≤ $15,000

Weighted 

Average

Number of Vessels 5 6 4 13 10 32 70

Cost Categories

Captain Wage 22,400 30,667 20,000 19,653 20,400 3,927 13,731 

Crew Wage 22,000 17,333 7,500 34,340 3,165 1,498 11,000 

Fuel 11,144 5,417 10,250 16,348 4,137 2,772 6,740 

Food 850 567 2,475 1,640 1,442 647 1,057 

Ice 570 117 684 2,738 1,045 349 907 

Bait 2,880 2,342 1,125 6,775 18 545 1,981 

Repair, Maintenance,

and Improvements 13,640 7,917 33,600 11,799 7,692 4,906 9,105 

Insurance 1,000 0 0 8,384 457 618 1,976 

Interest 1,000 0 6,000 550 70 349 686 

Permit Purchase 0 0 8,750 401 0 127 632 

Permit Lease 1,800 0 0 0 0 0 129 

Total 76,284 64,358 84,384 102,077 38,357 15,388 47,258 

2006 Average Cost Shares (%)

Captain Wage 29.4 47.6 23.7 19.3 53.2 25.5 29.1

Crew Wage 28.8 26.9 8.9 33.6 8.3 9.7 23.3

Fuel 14.6 8.4 12.1 16.0 10.8 18.0 14.3

Food 1.1 0.9 2.9 1.6 3.8 4.2 2.2

Ice 0.7 0.2 0.8 2.7 2.7 2.3 1.9

Bait 3.8 3.6 1.3 6.6 0.0 3.5 4.2

Repair, Maintenance,

and Improvements 17.9 12.3 39.8 11.6 20.1 31.9 19.3

Insurance 1.3 0.0 0.0 8.2 1.2 4.0 4.2

Interest 1.3 0.0 7.1 0.5 0.2 2.3 1.5

Permit Purchase 0.0 0.0 10.4 0.4 0.0 0.8 1.3

Permit Lease 2.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

* Source: NOAA NMFS (2008)

**Shrimper and “Other > $15,000” vessels not included (n < 3)
24

Table 22. 2005 Average Costs and Cost Shares for Oregon Survey Vessel Types*

2005 Average Costs ($) 

FEAM Vessel Type**

Sablefish 

Fixed 

Gear

Groundfish 

Fixed Gear HMS Crabber

Salmon 

Troller

Other ≤

$15,000

Weighted 

Average

Number of Vessels 5 7 1 8 28 29 77

Cost Categories

Captain Wage 46,400 17,143 n/a 32,768 14,892 2,524 14,342 

Crew Wage 26,000 14,671 n/a 32,459 7,691 714 9,460 

Fuel 8,844 6,314 n/a 17,482 6,845 1,353 5,964 

Food 1,300 629 n/a 1,803 2,182 441 1,289 

Ice 570 143 n/a 2,354 1,269 165 818 

Bait 4,360 2,621 n/a 8,538 750 147 1,737 

Repair, Maintenance, 

and Improvements 15,700 13,743 n/a 17,393 12,631 4,579 10,394 

Insurance 1,760 386 n/a 9,890 2,074 448 2,100 

Interest 1,000 71 n/a 1,248 1,317 362 816 

Permit Purchase 0 71 n/a 495 1,250 187 583 

Permit Lease 0 0 n/a 0 0 0 0 

Total 104,934 55,721 n/a 123,182 49,585 10,558 46,685 

2005 Average Costs Shares (%)

Captain Wage 44.2 30.8 n/a 26.6 30.0 23.9 30.7

Crew Wage 24.8 26.3 n/a 26.4 15.5 6.8 20.3

Fuel 8.4 11.3 n/a 14.2 13.8 12.8 12.8

Food 1.2 1.1 n/a 1.5 4.4 4.2 2.8

Ice 0.5 0.3 n/a 1.9 2.6 1.6 1.8

Bait 4.2 4.7 n/a 6.9 1.5 1.4 3.7

Repair, Maintenance,

and Improvements 15.0 24.7 n/a 14.1 25.5 43.4 22.3

Insurance 1.7 0.7 n/a 8.0 4.2 4.2 4.5

Interest 1.0 0.1 n/a 1.0 2.7 3.4 1.7

Permit Purchase 0.0 0.1 n/a 0.4 2.5 1.8 1.2

Permit Lease 0.0 0.0 n/a 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Total 100.0 100.0 n/a 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

* Source: NOAA NMFS 

(2008)

**Shrimper and “Other > $15,000” vessels not included (n < 3)
25

Table 23. 2006 Average Costs and Cost Shares for CA/OR/WA Survey Vessel Types*

2006 Average Costs ($) 

FEAM Vessel Type**

Sablefish 

Fixed 

Gear

Groundfish 

Fixed Gear HMS Crabber

Salmon 

Troller

Other >

$15,000

Other ≤

$15,000

Weighted 

Average

Number of Vessels 9 10 12 41 27 7 77 183

Cost Categories

Captain Wage 19,556 26,500 13,208 22,121 18,002 33,286 3,454 13,615 

Crew Wage 16,602 11,050 8,346 27,827 3,835 6,989 836 9,387 

Fuel 8,142 5,960 9,530 12,740 4,228 17,755 3,601 7,023 

Food 1,321 940 2,757 2,562 1,417 5,537 716 1,593 

Ice 343 320 903 1,503 699 443 270 664 

Bait 2,700 1,805 721 4,688 242 5,009 341 1,700 

Repair, Maintenance,

and Improvements 9,876 6,250 20,736 13,099 8,112 21,299 5,851 9,595 

Insurance 556 80 1,889 5,460 973 775 510 1,767 

Interest 1,230 300 2,460 610 535 1,524 233 610 

Permit Purchase 11,597 0 2,917 176 407 314 162 941 

Permit Lease 1,000 0 0 24 39 0 14 66 

Total 71,692 52,905 61,006 90,200 37,955 91,407 15,756 46,352 

2006 Average Costs Shares (%)

Captain Wage 27.3 50.1 21.7 24.5 47.4 36.4 21.9 29.4

Crew Wage 23.2 20.9 13.7 30.9 10.1 7.6 5.3 20.3

Fuel 11.4 11.3 15.6 14.1 11.1 19.4 22.9 15.2

Food 1.8 1.8 4.5 2.8 3.7 6.1 4.5 3.4

Ice 0.5 0.6 1.5 1.7 1.8 0.5 1.7 1.4

Bait 3.8 3.4 1.2 5.2 0.6 5.5 2.2 3.7

Repair, Maintenance, 

and Improvements 13.8 11.8 34.0 14.5 21.4 23.3 37.1 20.7

Insurance 0.8 0.2 3.1 6.1 2.6 0.8 3.2 3.8

Interest 1.7 0.6 4.0 0.7 1.4 1.7 1.5 1.3

Permit Purchase 16.2 0.0 4.8 0.2 1.1 0.3 1.0 2.0

Permit Lease 1.4 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.1

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

* Source: NOAA NMFS (2008)

**Shrimper vessels not included (n < 3)
26

Table 24. 2005 Average Costs and Cost Shares for CA/OR/WA Survey Vessel Types*

2005 Average Costs ($) 

FEAM Vessel Type**

Sablefish 

Fixed 

Gear

Groundfish 

Fixed Gear HMS Crabber

Salmon 

Troller

Other >

$15,000

Other ≤

$15,000

Weighted 

Average

Number of Vessels 10 14 4 22 78 4 60 192

Cost Categories

Captain Wage 38,100 18,286 24,500 25,792 14,856 40,000 3,673 14,800 

Crew Wage 27,403 10,729 17,525 29,063 6,857 2,900 662 8,958 

Fuel 8,593 9,486 11,464 12,150 5,940 16,100 3,715 6,680 

Food 1,540 1,171 3,380 2,144 2,067 7,100 708 1,690 

Ice 413 239 1,338 1,353 895 400 250 672 

Bait 4,237 2,196 1,050 6,307 810 6,863 143 1,642 

Repair, Maintenance, 

and Improvements 10,897 10,336 19,902 14,528 10,374 33,788 3,804 9,508 

Insurance 880 193 3,325 7,603 1,551 1,359 426 1,792 

Interest 915 763 189 1,166 707 63 247 606 

Permit Purchase 39 36 0 6,189 768 3,500 319 1,198 

Permit Lease 0 0 0 100 14 0 0 17 

Total 92,102 52,671 82,483 105,229 44,130 112,009 13,701 46,956 

2005 Average Costs Shares (%)

Captain Wage 41.4 34.7 29.7 24.5 33.7 35.7 26.8 31.5

Crew Wage 29.8 20.4 21.2 27.6 15.5 2.6 4.8 19.1

Fuel 9.3 18.0 13.9 11.5 13.5 14.4 27.1 14.2

Food 1.7 2.2 4.1 2.0 4.7 6.3 5.2 3.6

Ice 0.4 0.5 1.6 1.3 2.0 0.4 1.8 1.4

Bait 4.6 4.2 1.3 6.0 1.8 6.1 1.0 3.5

Repair, Maintenance, 

and Improvements 11.8 19.6 24.1 13.8 23.5 30.2 27.8 20.2

Insurance 1.0 0.4 4.0 7.2 3.5 1.2 3.1 3.8

Interest 1.0 1.4 0.2 1.1 1.6 0.1 1.8 1.3

Permit Purchase 0.0 0.1 0.0 5.9 1.7 3.1 2.3 2.6

Permit Lease 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

* Source: NOAA NMFS (2008)

**Shrimper vessels not included (n < 3)
27

Table 25: Top 3 Average Cost Categories for the Salmon Troller Vessel Type in 2005 and 2006*

Share of Total Costs Share of Total Costs

2005 Cost Categories CA/OR/WA OR 2006 Cost Categories CA/OR/WA OR

Captain Wage 37 30 Captain Wage 47 53

Repair, Maintenance, 

and Improvements

24 25 Repair, Maintenance, and 

Improvements

21 20

Crew Wage 16 16 Fuel 11 11

* Source: NOAA NMFS (2008)

Captain and crew earnings expressed as shares of total ex-vessel revenue for the salmon troller FEAM 

vessel type is given in Table 26. Captains generally receive between one-quarter and one-third of total 

vessel revenue, while the crew receives between 11 and 16 percent of total vessel revenue. Somewhat 

surprisingly, average crew size does not increase with vessel revenue and the data in Table 27 show that 

many commercial fishermen operating salmon troller vessels fish alone or with only one deck hand.

Table 26: Shares of Salmon Troller Vessel-Type Revenue Allocated to Captain and Crew Wages*

Average Shares of Salmon Troller Vessel Revenue (%)

Captain Crew

Salmon Troller Annual Revenue CA/OR/WA Oregon CA/OR/WA Oregon

< $500 30 29 14 16

$500 to $5,000 26 28 12 11

$5,000 to $25,000 24 24 12 11

> $25,000 33 30 12 16

* Source: NOAA NMFS (2008)
28

Table 27: Average Crew Size per Salmon Troller-Type Vessel by Vessel Revenue Category*

Salmon Troller Average Crew Size**

Salmon Troller Annual Revenue CA/OR/WA Oregon

< $500 1.3 n/a

$500 to $5,000 0.9 0.9

$5,000 to $25,000 0.6 0.6

> $25,000 0.6 0.7

* Source: NOAA NMFS (2008)

**Crew size does not include the captain

When comparing average total vessel costs between 2005 and 2006 (Figures 4 and 5), it is interesting to 

note that 2005 costs are generally greater than 2006 costs for five of the seven CA/OR/ WA vessel types,

and for three of the five applicable OR vessel types. Tables 28 through 31 may provide the reason for this.

It shows that the average number of trips for 2005 vessels were generally higher than for 2006. Therefore, 

in making more fishing trips, vessels in 2005 most likely incurred more operating costs than in 2006. Data 

on average number of trips by vessel type for 2006 and 2005 for all Oregon and CA/OR/WA vessels are 

provided in Tables 32 to 35.

Figure 4: Average Total Costs for CA/OR/WA Vessels by Type in 2005 and 2006*

* Source: NOAA NMFS (2008)

$0

$50,000

$100,000

$150,000

Average Total Costs for CA/OR/WA Vessels 

2005 and 2006

2005

2006
29

Figure 5: Average Total Costs for Oregon Vessel Types in 2005 and 2006*

* Source: NOAA NMFS (2008)

$0

$50,000

$100,000

$150,000

Average Total Costs for Oregon Vessels in 

2005 and 2006

2005

2006
30

Table 28. 2006 Average Number of Trips for Oregon Survey Vessel Types by Species Landed*

2006 Average Number of Trips 

FEAM Vessel Type**

Sablefish 

Fixed Gear

Groundfish 

Fixed Gear HMS Crabber

Salmon 

Troller

Other ≤

$15,000

Number of Vessels 5 6 4 13 10 32

Species Group

Whiting 0 0 0 0 0 0

Groundfish 23 58 3 4 0 5

Salmon Troll 8 3 4 4 10 8

Salmon Net 0 0 0 0 0 0

Crab 5 13 3 38 3 1

Shrimp 0 0 0 1 0 0

Other 2 2 8 3 5 1

Total 38 75 17 51 18 14

2006 Average Distribution of Trips

Whiting 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Groundfish 61.3 76.8 16.2 8.4 1.6 34.4

Salmon Troll 20.8 3.6 23.5 8.0 56.4 51.9

Salmon Net 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Crab 13.9 16.9 14.7 75.0 15.9 3.7

Shrimp 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.1 0.0 0.0

Other 4.0 2.7 45.6 6.4 26.1 10.0

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

* Source: NOAA NMFS (2008)

**Shrimper and “Other > $15,000” vessels not included (n < 3)
31

Table 29. 2005 Average Number of Trips for Oregon Survey Vessel Types by Species Landed*

2005 Average Number of Trips

FEAM Vessel Type**

Sablefish 

Fixed Gear

Groundfish 

Fixed Gear HMS Crabber

Salmon 

Troller

Other ≤

$15,000

Number of Vessels 5 7 1 8 28 29

Species Group

Whiting 0 0 n/a 0 0 0

Groundfish 27 52 n/a 2 2 5

Salmon Troll 11 10 n/a 6 19 10

Salmon Net 0 0 n/a 0 0 0

Crab 12 20 n/a 24 3 0

Shrimp 0 0 n/a 0 0 0

Other 6 2 n/a 5 3 2

Total 56 84 n/a 38 27 18

2005 Average Distribution of Trips

Whiting 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Groundfish 47.2 62.0 0.0 5.6 6.9 29.8

Salmon Troll 20.2 11.8 0.0 15.9 71.3 56.1

Salmon Net 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Crab 22.0 23.9 0.0 64.7 9.9 2.7

Shrimp 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Other 10.6 2.4 0.0 13.7 11.9 11.3

Total 100.0 100.0 0.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

* Source: NOAA NMFS (2008)

**Shrimper and “Other > $15,000” vessels not included (n < 3)
32

Table 30. 2006 Average Number of Trips for CA/OR/WA Survey Vessel Types by Species Landed*

2006 Number of Trips 

FEAM Vessel Type**

Sablefish 

Fixed 

Gear

Groundfish 

Fixed Gear HMS Crabber

Salmon 

Troller

Other >

$15,000

Other ≤

$15,000

Number of Vessels 9 10 12 41 27 7 77

Species Group

Whiting 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Groundfish 26 53 2 5 1 4 5

Salmon Troll 6 2 3 4 14 1 8

Salmon Net 0 0 0 0 0 0.3 0.0

Crab 5 13 3 35 2 7 0

Shrimp 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Other 2 2 8 5 5 60 3

Total 39 69 16 49 21 71 17

2006 Average Distribution of Trips

Whiting 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Groundfish 67.3 76.4 13.9 9.7 4.7 5.6 28.5

Salmon Troll 16.4 2.3 21.1 8.0 64.0 0.8 48.0

Salmon Net 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.4 0.1

Crab 12.4 18.9 18.0 70.9 9.8 9.6 2.9

Shrimp 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.7 0.0 0.0 0.0

Other 3.8 2.4 46.9 10.6 21.6 83.6 20.5

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

* Source: NOAA NMFS (2008)

**Shrimper Vessels not included (n < 3)
33

Table 31. 2005 Average Number of Trips for CA/OR/WA Survey Vessel Types by Species Landed*

2005 Average Number of Trips

FEAM Vessel Type**

Sablefish 

Fixed 

Gear

Groundfish 

Fixed Gear HMS Crabber

Salmon 

Troller

Other > 

$15,000

Other ≤

$15,000

Number of Vessels 10 14 4 22 78 4 60

Species Group

Whiting 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Groundfish 27 48 0 6 2 5 7

Salmon Troll 8 7 6 7 19 0 10

Salmon Net 0 0 0 0 0 0 0.1

Crab 7 13 2 31 4 5 0

Shrimp 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Other 6 18 4 5 5 69 5

Total 48 86 12 49 29 79 23

2005 Average Distribution of Trips

Whiting 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Groundfish 56.8 55.6 0.0 11.8 5.7 6.4 31.0

Salmon Troll 16.4 7.8 47.8 15.2 66.1 0.0 45.4

Salmon Net 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.3

Crab 15.4 15.6 17.4 63.6 12.4 6.1 1.3

Shrimp 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Other 11.4 21.1 34.8 9.4 15.8 87.6 22.1

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

* Source: NOAA NMFS (2008)

**Shrimper Vessels not included (n < 3)
34

Table 32. 2006 Average Number of Trips for Oregon Vessel Types by Species Landed (All Active 

Fishermen)*

2006 Number of Trips 

FEAM Vessel Type**

Sablefish 

Fixed Gear

Groundfish 

Fixed Gear HMS Crabber

Salmon 

Troller

Other ≤

$15,000

Number of Vessels 17 19 22 81 46 184

Species Group

Whiting 0 0 0 0 0 0

Groundfish 20 44 2 4 1 5

Salmon Troll 3 2 4 5 11 6

Salmon Net 0 0 0 0 0 0

Crab 3 8 1 34 1 0

Shrimp 0 0 0 0 0 0

Other 3 4 6 4 5 2

Total 30 58 13 47 18 14

2006 Average Distribution of Trips

Whiting 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Groundfish 66.4 75.6 13.8 7.8 5.4 39.0

Salmon Troll 11.5 3.6 29.7 10.1 61.5 40.7

Salmon Net 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Crab 11.5 14.2 6.5 73.4 5.5 3.3

Shrimp 0.8 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Other 9.8 6.7 50.0 8.7 27.5 17.0

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

* Source: NOAA NMFS (2008)

**Shrimper and “Other > $15,000” vessels not included (n < 3)
35

Table 33. 2005 Average Number of Trips for Oregon Vessel Types by Species Landed (All Active 

Fishermen)*

2005 Average Number of Trips

FEAM Vessel Type**

Sablefish 

Fixed Gear

Groundfish 

Fixed Gear HMS Crabber

Salmon 

Troller

Other ≤

$15,000

Number of Vessels 18 23 11 50 123 223

Species Group

Whiting 0 0 0 0 0 0

Groundfish 27 45 2 4 1 6

Salmon Troll 6 4 6 9 19 9

Salmon Net 0 0 0 0 0 0

Crab 7 9 1 33 3 0

Shrimp 0 0 0 0 0 0

Other 2 4 5 4 3 2

Total 42 62 13 50 26 17

2005 Average Distribution of Trips

Whiting 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Groundfish 63.2 72.2 12.2 8.6 3.4 35.7

Salmon Troll 15.3 6.9 43.5 18.5 72.8 52.5

Salmon Net 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Crab 15.9 14.5 5.4 65.7 12.4 1.6

Shrimp 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Other 5.5 6.5 38.8 7.2 11.4 10.2

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

* Source: NOAA NMFS (2008)

**Shrimper and “Other > $15,000” vessels not included (n < 3)
36

Table 34. 2006 Average Number of Trips for CA/OR/WA Vessel Types by Species Landed (All Active Fishermen)*

2006 Average Number of Trips 

FEAM Vessel Type 

Sablefish 

Fixed 

Gear

Groundfish 

Fixed Gear HMS Shrimper Crabber

Salmon 

Troller

Other >

$15,000

Other ≤

$15,000

Number of Vessels 49 81 50 4 232 170 14 501

Species Group

Whiting 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Groundfish 24 35 2 4 3 1 8 5

Salmon Troll 2 2 3 0 4 14 0 5

Salmon Net 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.0

Crab 2 4 1 0 32 4 3 1

Shrimp 0 0 0 47 0 0 0 0

Other 6 30 7 10 4 4 49 6

Total 34 71 13 60 44 23 61 17

2006 Average Distribution of Trips 

Whiting 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Groundfish 69.4 49.1 14.3 6.2 7.2 4.9 12.8 27.7

Salmon Troll 7.2 2.3 25.7 0.0 10.3 59.2 0.5 30.9

Salmon Net 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.4 0.1

Crab 6.5 5.8 8.9 0.0 73.4 17.4 5.2 3.8

Shrimp 0.6 0.6 0.0 78.0 0.0 0.9 0.1 0.1

Other 16.3 42.2 51.1 15.8 9.1 17.5 81.1 37.5

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

* Source: NOAA NMFS (2008)
37

Table 35. 2005 Average Number of Trips for CA/OR/WA Vessel Types by Species Landed (All Active Fishermen)*

2005 Average Number of Trips

FEAM Vessel Type

Sablefish 

Fixed 

Gear

Groundfish 

Fixed Gear HMS Shrimper Crabber

Salmon 

Troller

Other > 

$15,000

Other ≤

$15,000

Number of Vessels 56 86 27 4 122 409 11 436

Species Group

Whiting 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

Groundfish 29 37 1 6 5 1 10 6

Salmon Troll 3 3 5 3 8 18 4 8

Salmon Net 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1

Crab 4 4 0 1 32 5 0 0

Shrimp 0 1 0 37 0 0 0 0

Other 5 56 5 13 4 4 43 6

Total 42 100 12 60 48 28 57 21

2005 Average Distribution of Trips

Whiting 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Groundfish 69.6 36.4 10.3 9.7 9.4 3.5 16.9 30.8

Salmon Troll 7.8 2.6 44.4 4.6 16.3 64.2 7.1 38.0

Salmon Net 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.8 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.2

Crab 10.6 4.3 3.6 0.8 66.1 18.4 0.0 2.3

Shrimp 0.0 0.7 0.0 62.2 0.4 0.1 0.0 0.0

Other 12.1 56.0 41.7 21.8 7.8 13.7 76.0 28.7

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

* Source: NOAA NMFS (2008)
38

Oregon Ex-Vessel Revenue and Net Revenue

The next eight tables give average ex-vessel revenues by vessel type for commercial fishing vessels that landed salmon on 

the west coast in 2005 and 2006. Ex-vessel revenues are further broken down by species landed and the type of gear used. 

The first two tables (Tables 36 and 37) refer to survey respondents that made a majority of their landings in Oregon. The 

second pair of tables (Tables 38 and 39) covers CA/OR/WA fishermen who responded to the survey. The third pair of

tables (Tables 40 and 41) covers all vessels that made a majority of their landings Oregon. The final two tables (Tables 42

and 43) refer to all active west coast fishermen that landed salmon in CA/OR/WA. These average ex-vessel revenues 

pertain to individual participating vessels in each vessel type category. Recall that revenues are entirely derived from 

landing receipts from commercial fishing, and do not include disaster payments or other sources of income.

Table 36. 2006 Average Ex-Vessel Revenue for Oregon Survey Vessel Types*

2006 Average Revenue ($) 

FEAM Vessel Type**

Sablefish 

Fixed Gear

Groundfish 

Fixed Gear HMS Crabber

Salmon 

Troller

Other ≤

$15,000

Weighted 

Average

Number of Vessels 5 6 4 13 10 32 70

Species Group

Whiting 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Groundfish 61,473 33,910 2,344 9,103 201 1,522 9,846 

Salmon Troll 7,491 1,298 6,583 7,199 16,971 3,337 6,309 

Salmon Net 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Crab 11,325 22,384 7,454 148,086 9,646 221 32,135 

Shrimp 0 0 0 10,184 0 0 1,891 

HMS 821 295 39,193 8,414 9,306 446 5,419 

Pelagic Species 0 0 0 8 0 0 1 

Halibut 220 0 0 599 111 34 158 

Total*** 81,330 57,921 55,574 183,631 36,245 5,560 55,772 

2006 Average Ex-Vessel Revenue Shares (%)

Whiting 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Groundfish 75.6 58.5 4.2 5.0 0.6 27.4 17.7

Salmon Troll 9.2 2.2 11.8 3.9 46.8 60.0 11.3

Salmon Net 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Crab 13.9 38.6 13.4 80.6 26.6 4.0 57.6

Shrimp 0.0 0.0 0.0 5.5 0.0 0.0 3.4

HMS 1.0 0.5 70.5 4.6 25.7 8.0 9.7

Pelagic Species 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Halibut 0.3 0.0 0.0 0.3 0.3 0.6 0.3

Total 100.0 99.9 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

* Source: NOAA NMFS (2008)

**Shrimper and “Other > $15,000” vessels not included (n < 3)

***Total also includes revenue from species groups not listed
39

Table 37. 2005 Average Ex-Vessel Revenue for Oregon Survey Vessel Types*

2005 Average Revenue ($) 

FEAM Vessel Type**

Sablefish 

Fixed 

Gear

Groundfish 

Fixed Gear HMS Crabber

Salmon 

Troller

Other ≤

$15,000

Weighted 

Average

Number of Vessels 5 7 1 8 28 29 77

Species Group

Whiting 0 0 n/a 0 0 0 0 

Groundfish 69,127 33,098 n/a 5,033 1,755 1,876 9,817 

Salmon Troll 13,592 4,064 n/a 13,601 35,624 4,667 11,068 

Salmon Net 0 0 n/a 0 0 0 0 

Crab 15,168 16,750 n/a 86,349 4,832 331 19,397 

Shrimp 0 0 n/a 0 0 0 0 

HMS 5,125 56 n/a 10,532 6,506 173 3,336 

Pelagic Species 0 0 n/a 0 0 0 0 

Halibut 2,899 0 n/a 160 467 18 312 

Total*** 105,912 53,996 n/a 116,485 49,731 7,066 44,161 

2005 Average Ex-Vessel Revenue Shares (%)

Whiting 0.0 0.0 n/a 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Groundfish 65.3 61.3 n/a 4.3 3.5 26.5 22.2

Salmon Troll 12.8 7.5 n/a 11.7 71.6 66.1 25.1

Salmon Net 0.0 0.0 n/a 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Crab 14.3 31.0 n/a 74.1 9.7 4.7 43.9

Shrimp 0.0 0.0 n/a 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

HMS 4.8 0.1 n/a 9.0 13.1 2.5 7.6

Pelagic Species 0.0 0.0 n/a 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Halibut 2.7 0.0 n/a 0.1 0.9 0.3 0.7

Total 100.0 99.9 0.0 99.3 98.9 100.0 99.5

* Source: NOAA NMFS (2008)

**Shrimper and “Other > $15,000” vessels not included (n < 3)

***Total also includes revenue from species groups not listed
40

Table 38. 2006 Average Ex-Vessel Revenue for CA/OR/WA Survey Vessel Types*

2006 Average Revenue ($) 

FEAM Vessel Type**

Sablefish 

Fixed 

Gear

Groundfish 

Fixed Gear HMS Crabber

Salmon 

Troller

Other >

$15,000

Other ≤

$15,000

Weighted 

Average

Number of Vessels 9 10 12 41 27 7 77 183

Species Group

Whiting 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Groundfish 54,811 34,399 2,213 8,129 895 3,465 1,229 7,324 

Salmon Troll 10,470 779 7,332 6,825 23,329 254 4,344 7,847 

Salmon Net 0 0 0 3 0 161 5 9 

Crab 6,892 19,073 3,629 110,480 5,807 2,219 332 27,453 

Shrimp 0 0 0 3,229 0 0 0 723 

HMS 456 189 49,459 8,000 4,462 163 237 5,833 

Pelagic Species 0 0 0 2 0 0 1 1 

Halibut 982 28 147 1,337 765 6,634 150 789 

Total*** 73,612 54,489 66,593 138,694 35,262 98,064 6,301 53,643 

2006 Average Ex-Vessel Revenue Shares (%)

Whiting 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Groundfish 74.5 63.1 3.3 5.9 2.5 3.5 19.5 13.7

Salmon Troll 14.2 1.4 11.0 4.9 66.2 0.3 68.9 14.6

Salmon Net 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.1 0.0

Crab 9.4 35.0 5.5 79.7 16.5 2.3 5.3 51.2

Shrimp 0.0 0.0 0.0 2.3 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.3

HMS 0.6 0.3 74.3 5.8 12.7 0.2 3.8 10.9

Pelagic Species 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Halibut 1.3 0.1 0.2 1.0 2.2 6.8 2.4 1.5

Total 100.0 100.0 94.3 99.5 100.0 13.1 100.0 93.2

* Source: NOAA NMFS (2008)

**Shrimper Vessels not included (n < 3)

***Total also includes revenue from species groups not listed
41

Table 39. 2005 Average Ex-Vessel Revenue for CA/OR/WA Survey Vessel Types*

2005 Average Revenue ($) 

FEAM Vessel Type**

Sablefish 

Fixed 

Gear

Groundfish 

Fixed Gear HMS Crabber

Salmon 

Troller

Other >

$15,000

Other ≤

$15,000

Weighted 

Average

Number of Vessels 10 14 4 22 78 4 60 192

Species Group

Whiting 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Groundfish 53,858 32,803 0 9,066 1,153 7,032 1,712 7,386 

Salmon Troll 14,785 3,124 13,717 15,577 33,009 0 5,602 18,229 

Salmon Net 0 0 0 0 4 0 46 16 

Crab 9,840 11,050 5,735 88,215 6,566 1,720 174 14,303 

Shrimp 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

HMS 4,315 28 69,865 8,875 3,073 31 85 3,975 

Pelagic Species 0 0 0 6 0 0 0 1 

Halibut 2,061 1,028 194 925 367 15,083 114 791 

Total*** 84,860 51,044 89,510 122,965 45,410 91,023 7,732 46,857 

2005 Average Ex-Vessel Revenue Shares (%)

Whiting 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Groundfish 63.5 64.3 0.0 7.4 2.5 7.7 22.1 15.8

Salmon Troll 17.4 6.1 15.3 12.7 72.7 0.0 72.4 38.9

Salmon Net 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.6 0.0

Crab 11.6 21.6 6.4 71.7 14.5 1.9 2.3 30.5

Shrimp 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

HMS 5.1 0.1 78.1 7.2 6.8 0.0 1.1 8.5

Pelagic Species 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Halibut 2.4 2.0 0.2 0.8 0.8 16.6 1.5 1.7

Total 100.0 94.1 100.0 99.8 97.3 26.2 100.0 95.4

* Source: NOAA NMFS (2008)

**Shrimper Vessels not included (n < 3)

***Total also includes revenue from species groups not listed
42

Table 40. 2006 Average Ex-Vessel Revenue for Oregon Vessel Types (All Active Fishermen)*

2006 Average Revenue ($) 

FEAM Vessel Type**

Sablefish 

Fixed Gear

Groundfish 

Fixed Gear HMS Crabber

Salmon 

Troller

Other ≤

$15,000

Weighted 

Average

Number of Vessels 17 19 22 81 46 193 378

Species Group

Whiting 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Groundfish 23,369 23,689 2,021 3,881 872 1,862 4,248 

Salmon Troll 3,957 2,015 8,539 5,230 20,115 2,708 5,728 

Salmon Net 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Crab 265 0 0 0 0 0 12 

Shrimp 2,927 12,787 2,547 108,791 2,532 273 24,683 

HMS 3,286 1,276 53,553 11,606 10,530 512 7,359 

Pelagic Species 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 

Halibut 2,043 1,313 406 1,825 316 29 626 

Total*** 35,849 41,174 67,067 131,591 34,368 5,388 42,717 

2006 Average Ex-Vessel Revenue Shares (%)

Whiting 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Groundfish 65.2 57.5 3.0 2.9 2.5 34.6 9.9

Salmon Troll 11.0 4.9 12.7 4.0 58.5 50.3 13.4

Salmon Net 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Crab 0.7 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Shrimp 8.2 31.1 3.8 82.7 7.4 5.1 57.8

HMS 9.2 3.1 79.9 8.8 30.6 9.5 17.2

Pelagic Species 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Halibut 5.7 3.2 0.6 1.4 0.9 0.5 1.5

Total 100.0 99.8 100.0 99.8 100.0 99.9 99.9

* Source: NOAA NMFS (2008)

**Shrimper and “Other > $15,000” vessels not included (n < 3)

***Total also includes revenue from species groups not listed
43

Table 41. 2005 Average Ex-Vessel Revenue for Oregon Vessel Types (All Active Fishermen)*

2005 Average Revenue ($) 

FEAM Vessel Type**

Sablefish 

Fixed Gear

Groundfish 

Fixed Gear HMS Crabber

Salmon 

Troller

Other ≤

$15,000

Weighted 

Average

Number of Vessels 18 23 11 50 123 152 377

Species Group

Whiting 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Groundfish 28,257 22,312 2,102 4,148 751 1,798 4,413 

Salmon Troll 5,740 1,945 15,905 13,225 32,108 4,513 10,327 

Salmon Net 0 0 0 0 6 0 1 

Crab 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Shrimp 6,485 10,369 2,086 70,689 5,260 140 16,793 

HMS 1,631 211 45,300 8,537 6,492 223 5,454 

Pelagic Species 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Halibut 1,630 564 11 1,111 396 92 436 

Total*** 43,744 35,413 65,407 97,740 45,022 6,765 37,431 

2005 Average Ex-Vessel Revenue Shares (%)

Whiting 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Groundfish 64.6 63.0 3.2 4.2 1.7 26.6 11.8

Salmon Troll 13.1 5.5 24.3 13.5 71.3 66.7 27.6

Salmon Net 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Crab 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Shrimp 14.8 29.3 3.2 72.3 11.7 2.1 44.9

HMS 3.7 0.6 69.3 8.7 14.4 3.3 14.6

Pelagic Species 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Halibut 3.7 1.6 0.0 1.1 0.9 1.4 1.2

Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

* Source: NOAA NMFS (2008)

**Shrimper and “Other > $15,000” vessels not included (n < 3)

***Total also includes revenue from species groups not listed
44

Table 42. 2006 Average Ex-Vessel Revenue for CA/OR/WA Vessel Types (All Active Fishermen)*

2006 Average Revenue ($) 

FEAM Vessel Type

Sablefish 

Fixed 

Gear

Groundfish 

Fixed Gear HMS Shrimper Crabber

Salmon 

Troller

Other >

$15,000

Other ≤

$15,000

Weighted 

Average

Number of Vessels 49 81 50 4 232 170 14 501 1101

Species Group

Whiting 0 0 0 62 0 0 0 0 0 

Groundfish 22,442 23,201 2,484 6,667 3,602 892 4,301 1,770 4,599 

Salmon Troll 4,305 2,551 6,779 0 6,851 24,732 127 2,949 7,293 

Salmon Net 0 9 0 0 5 47 192 14 18 

Crab 160 528 0 72,650 4 47 31 2 320 

Shrimp 2,507 5,777 1,783 76 107,386 6,953 1,106 339 24,488 

HMS 1,440 342 56,958 0 7,326 3,718 73 346 4,952 

Pelagic Species 16 9 58 29 3 98 848 3 32 

Halibut 815 8,711 244 1,872 1,125 448 394 217 1,105 

Total** 32,776 42,000 71,257 83,064 126,531 37,334 80,871 5,679 44,126 

2006 Average Ex-Vessel Revenue Shares (%)

Whiting 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Groundfish 68.5 55.2 3.5 8.0 2.8 2.4 5.3 31.2 10.4

Salmon Troll 13.1 6.1 9.5 0.0 5.4 66.2 0.2 51.9 16.5

Salmon Net 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.0

Crab 0.5 1.3 0.0 87.5 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.7

Shrimp 7.6 13.8 2.5 0.1 84.9 18.6 1.4 6.0 55.5

HMS 4.4 0.8 79.9 0.0 5.8 10.0 0.1 6.1 11.2

Pelagic Species 0.1 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.3 1.0 0.1 0.1

Halibut 2.5 20.7 0.3 2.3 0.9 1.2 0.5 3.8 2.5

Total 96.7 97.9 95.9 97.9 99.8 98.9 8.7 99.3 97.0

* Source: NOAA NMFS (2008)

**Total also includes revenue from species groups not listed
45

Table 43. 2005 Average Ex-Vessel Revenue for CA/OR/WA Vessel Types (All Active Fishermen)*

2005 Average Revenue ($) 

FEAM Vessel Type 

Sablefish 

Fixed 

Gear

Groundfish 

Fixed Gear HMS Shrimper Crabber

Salmon 

Troller

Other >

$15,000

Other ≤

$15,000

Weighted 

Average

Number of Vessels 56 86 27 4 122 409 11 436 1151

Species Group

Whiting 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 

Groundfish 29,151 22,795 1,838 6,782 5,485 813 7,047 2,013 4,128 

Salmon Troll 3,659 1,928 14,979 1,647 13,674 36,869 7,004 4,143 15,301 

Salmon Net 0 11 0 168 62 31 0 37 19 

Crab 0 548 0 64,551 1,686 12 0 0 449 

Shrimp 4,433 4,478 1,206 214 76,834 9,036 4 225 11,935 

HMS 969 71 54,103 0 5,954 3,485 1,841 104 3,209 

Pelagic Species 1 47 0 8 0 3 1 8 5 

Halibut 739 7,685 149 2,062 1,020 303 651 183 843 

Total** 39,372 40,684 73,766 75,783 104,736 51,261 99,672 6,761 37,225 

2005 Average Ex-Vessel Revenue Shares (%)

Whiting 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0

Groundfish 74.0 56.0 2.5 8.9 5.2 1.6 7.1 29.8 11.1

Salmon Troll 9.3 4.7 20.3 2.2 13.1 71.9 7.0 61.3 41.1

Salmon Net 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.0 0.5 0.1

Crab 0.0 1.3 0.0 85.2 1.6 0.0 0.0 0.0 1.2

Shrimp 11.3 11.0 1.6 0.3 73.4 17.6 0.0 3.3 32.1

HMS 2.5 0.2 73.3 0.0 5.7 6.8 1.8 1.5 8.6

Pelagic Species 0.0 0.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.1 0.0

Halibut 1.9 18.9 0.2 2.7 1.0 0.6 0.7 2.7 2.3

Total 98.9 92.3 98.0 99.5 100.0 98.6 16.6 99.3 96.4

* Source: NOAA NMFS (2008)

**Total also includes revenue from species groups not listed
46

The nearly $10,000 reduction in average ex-vessel salmon revenues from 2005 to 2006 for CA/OR/WA 

salmon fishermen are shown in Figure 6. The only noticeable increase in ex-vessel revenue from 2005 to 

2006 is for HMS. This increase may indicate a shift in strategy by targeting albacore instead of salmon

during the 2006 season. Figure 7 also shows the sharp decline in Oregon average ex-vessel revenue (over 

$13,000) from 2005 to 2006. Revenue from salmon caught by troll gear was $18,000 less in 2006 from 

2005. Oregon salmon fishermen appear to have honed their efforts to harvesting crab and HMS species,

however, as these revenues increased in 2006.

Figure 6: Average Ex-Vessel Survey Respondent Revenue for CA/OR/WA Vessels in 2005 and 2006*

* Source: NOAA NMFS (2008)

Figure 7: Average Ex-Vessel Survey Respondent Revenue for Oregon Vessels in 2005 and 2006*

* Source: NOAA NMFS (2008)

$0

$10,000

$20,000

$30,000

$40,000

Average Ex-Vessel Survey Respondent Revenue for 

CA/OR/WA Vessels in 2005 and 2006

2005

2006

$0

$10,000

$20,000

$30,000

$40,000

Average Ex-Vessel Survey Respondent Revenue for 

Oregon Vessels in 2005 and 2006

2005

2006
47

While Oregon’s total net revenue is only 45 percent of CA/OR/WA total net revenue in 2006, on average 

individual Oregon vessels generated similar net revenues to other west coast vessels (Table 44). Oregon 

groundfish fixed gear and HMS vessels preformed less well compared to CA/OR/WA vessels, however,

in 2006. But average net revenue for 2006 Oregon crabbers was over $33,000 higher than CA/OR/WA 

vessels. When comparing across years (Tables 44 and 45), total and average net revenues of salmon 

trollers diverge dramatically. Total 2006 net revenue for CA/OR/WA and Oregon were down by 173 

percent and 616 percent, respectively, from 2005. Although 2006 was a dismal year for salmon

fishermen, west coast and Oregon crabbers vastly increased their net revenues from 2005.

Table 44: CA/OR/WA Survey Respondent Net Revenue by Vessel Type in 2006

2006 Net Revenue ($)

CA/OR/WA Oregon

FEAM Vessel Type Total Average Total Average

Salmon Troller -72,700 -2,693 -21,110 -2,111

Crabber 1,988,224 48,493 1,060,197 81,554

Groundfish Fixed Gear 15,839 1,584 -38,626 -6,438

HMS 67,047 5,587 -115,239 -28,810

Sablefish Fixed Gear 17,284 1,920 25,231 5,046

Other > $15,000 46,604 6,658 0 n/a

Other ≤ $15,000 -728,035 -9,455 -314,491 -9,828

Total 1,334,262 7,291 595,962 8,514

* Source: NOAA NMFS (2008)

Table 45: CA/OR/WA Survey Respondent Net Revenue by Vessel Type in 2005

2005 Net Revenue ($)

CA/OR/WA Oregon

FEAM Vessel Type Total Average Total Average

Salmon Troller 99,848 1,280 4,086 146

Crabber 390,189 17,736 -53,574 -6,697

Groundfish Fixed Gear -22,791 -1,628 -12,078 -1,725

HMS 28,111 7,028 n/a n/a

Sablefish Fixed Gear -72,421 -7,242 4,891 978

Other > $15,000 -83,942 -20,985 n/a n/a

Other ≤ $15,000 -358,093 -5,968 -101,265 -3,492

Total -19,099 -99 -157,941 -2,025

* Source: NOAA NMFS (2008)
48

V. SOURCES CITED

Boydstun, L., M. Palmer-Zwahlen, and D. Viele. 2001. “Pacific Salmon,” in California’s Living Marine 

Resources: A Status Report. Editors W. S. Leet, C. Dewees, R. Klingbeil, and E. Larson, California 

Department of Fish and Game Publication SG01-11, Sacramento.

California Salmon Council. 2008. 2008 Commercial and Recreational Salmon Disaster Program – State 

of California. July 2008. Folsom, California.

California Salmon Council. 2007. The Salmon Economic Distribution Plan – Disaster Year 2006. August 

2007. Folsom, California.

Dillman, D. 1978. Mail and Telephone Surveys: The Total Design Method. Wiley, New York.

Gutierrez, C. 2008. “Fishery Failure” Declared for West Coast Salmon Fishery. Press release, May 1st

2008. Office of the Secretary of Commerce, Washington DC.

Hackett, S., and M. Hansen, 2008. California Fleet Impacts Survey. Unpublished data, Humboldt State 

University.

Kulongoski, T. 2008. Executive Order No. 08-10 (April 10th, 2008). Office of the Governor, Salem, 

Oregon.

Kulongoski, T. 2006. Governor Declares State of Emergency Over Salmon Season. Press release, April 

24, 2006. Office of the Governor, Salem, Oregon.

Lian, C. 2007. NOAA – National Marine Fisheries Service. Personal correspondence.

Leos, R. 2008. California Department of Fish and Game – Marine Region. Personal correspondence.

Minnesota IMPLAN Group (MIG). 2008. MIG, Stillwater, Minnesota. Website last accessed 15 

September 2008. Information available at http://www.implan.com.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries Service. 2006. “National Marine Fisheries 

Service Accepts Pacific Council’s Salmon Recommendations”. News from NOAA, April 28, 2006. 

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service NW Office. 2008.

2005-06 West Coast Open Access Groundfish and Salmon Cost Earnings Survey. Unpublished. Seattle, 

Washington.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service SW Office. 2008.

Activities in Klamath River Basin – “Disaster Relief” Statement. Sustainable Fisheries Division. Long 

Beach, California. 

Oregon Salmon Commission. 2007. Oregon Disaster Relief Money (application form). August 2007. 

Lincoln City, Oregon.
49

Pacific Fishery Management Council. 2008a. Record Low Salmon Fisheries Adopted. News release, 

April 10, 2008.

Pacific Fishery Management Council. 2008b. Assessment of Factors Affecting Natural Area Escapement 

Shortfalls of Klmath River Fall Chinook Salmon in 2004 – 2006. KRFC Stock Assessment. Agenda Item 

D.3.b. Portland, Oregon, February 2008.

Pacific Fisheries Management Council. 2007. Review of the 2006 Ocean Salmon Fishery. Portland, 

Oregon.

Pacific Fisheries Management Council. 2001. Review of the 2000 Ocean Salmon Fishery. Portland, 

Oregon.

Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission. 2008. Ocean Salmon - Related Business Application: 2008 

Ocean Salmon Season Closure Federal Relief Program. Portland, Oregon. 

Research Group, the. 2006. Review of the West Coast Fishing Industry in 2004. Prepared for the Pacific 

States Marine Fisheries Commission. Corvallis, Oregon.

Schwarzenegger, A. 2008. Gov. Schwarzenegger Takes Action to Address Impacts of Vote to Close 

Commercial and Recreational Salmon Fisheries. Press release, April 10th, 2008. Office of the Governor, 

Sacramento, California.

Schwarzenegger, A. 2006. Statement by Gov. Schwarzenegger on Partial Closure of Salmon Season in 

California. Press release, April 28, 2006. Office of the Governor, Sacramento, California.

___________________________________________________________________________________

Acknowledgement:

The authors are grateful to Carl Lian and other NMFS research personnel for providing survey data to 

us in summary form. We would like to thank Christine Broniak, Chris Carter, and Terry Tillman for 

articulating the data requirements of their respective state agencies, and for their helpful comments 

on an earlier draft of this report. This report was guided by project managers Mike Dorman (ERT) and 

Herb Gillette (NMFS). Carmen King and Chad St. John provided capable research assistance.

Cover art by Alexandra Hackett.