VIDEO – Prawn fishing off the coast of Powell River is a multi-million dollar a year industry, that provides local jobs for a product consumed all over the world, and many are thinking it’s time to celebrate.
The prawn industry plays a large part in the local economy. Two local processing plants for prawns, Sunshine Seafood in Finn Bay and Sea Plus Marketing Inc. near Grief Point, together employ around 50 people, by prawn fisherman Dan Vincent’s estimate. Vincent believes the landed value of the industry last year to have been around $40 million. Roughly 20 commercial boats prawn out of the Powell River and Lund areas, providing money directly to the community. Spinoff jobs, such as refrigeration maintenance and boat repairs, also build the local economy.
“It’s big, it’s a really big, good industry. It’s stable,” said Vincent. “It’s throwing a lot out there for the local economy and these days, the way things are going, that’s a good thing.”
On a typical day, Vincent will pick up his co-worker Doug Rogers at around 5:30 am and be out on the docks at Lund by 6:30 am. After checking the boat over and getting gear they need from the processing plant, they will head out at about 7 am to start checking their spots. Vincent said their furthest spot tends to be about an hour-and-a-half boat ride away, so they start early to make sure they can take care of everything.
Their day consists of tracking down their traps, hauling them in, unloading their catch and then resetting the traps. If they aren’t having much luck with a certain spot they will haul in all the gear and relocate it to another area, the most time-consuming part of their day.
Rogers has worked on prawn boats for about 15 years all told. He said that when you start working on prawn boats the work is hard and tiring, but that as you get more experience you learn how to be efficient. Technology plays a part as well as better equipment and techniques become available that make the job easier.
Vincent ventured into prawn fishing around 15 years ago as well and explains how by saying “I moved to Powell River.” Vincent had been working on the water for years running passenger boats but after moving here he met someone with a prawn boat. He said his favourite part of the job is working out on the water in the fresh air and not having a boss. Dolphins, whales, porpoises and other sea life, are often seen, which makes for an exciting place to work.
It is “the best lifestyle you could possibly have,” he said. “Our office is just phenomenal. I consider myself so lucky to be able to get up in the morning and go to work where I work. It’s beautiful.”
They spend most of their days off the waters of Lund and Powell River. At the end of the day they cruise to the processing plant to unload. Traps of still live prawns, that have been sitting in water holding tanks, are unloaded on the docks to be taken away. The plant will prepare them to be sold, in one kilogram boxes, to purchasers from anywhere in the world but mostly Japan.
Prawn fishing season off the coast of Powell River has had a slow start this year. After about 10 years of high-yield seasons things have calmed down for the past couple, leaving some worried. Others, like Vincent, are willing to accept the up-and-down nature of the industry. Vincent said this area has made a name for itself as a good spot for prawning and that a slight downturn here might end up being positive for local prawn fishermen who will have less competition.
On Saturday, June 11, Powell River will have its first ever Spot Prawn Festival at Willingdon Beach from 11 am to 11 pm. The event is being organized by Manzanita Restaurant and others and held as a combined celebration with World Oceans Day. This free event will be a celebration of local prawns, the food itself and the importance of the industry as a whole.
There will be numerous events throughout the day including beach volleyball, a black box chef’s competition with ingredients picked by chef Steve Walker Duncan, cooking demonstrations, a demonstration on preparing live prawns for cooking, activities for children and live music in the evening featuring The Sam Hurrie Trio, Beetlejuice and Luke Blu Guthrie. There will be people’s choice awards for ocean photography voted on over the course of the day also, with entries being received by Tourism Powell River up until Tuesday, June 7.
Two marine biologists from the Vancouver Aquarium will be on hand with a touch tank full of local aquatic creatures.
For more information on the event, readers can contact Amy Sharp at 604.483.2228 or by email at [email protected].
