Blue crab dockside prices appear to be unresponsive to changes in landings. Blue crab products move through various outlets and undergo significant transformation before reaching the consumer. Some meat is pasteurized although most is sold as a fresh, ice-pack product. Firms may also process other specialty products including claws, deviled crab, crab cakes, crab patties, stuffed crab, and soft-shell crab. The number of processors peaked at 108 in 1992 and then declined to 73 in 1997. Alabama has become the center of processing in the Gulf. Crab imports have increased in recent years. The blue crab industry has recently undergone major changes in its ethnic and economic organization. The entry of Southeast Asians into the fishery resulted in social, cultural, and economic conflicts. The current demographic and social composition of the Gulf fishery was characterized. Major sources of conflict were identified: other crab fishermentheft of crabs or traps and capture of undersized crabs; shrimp and recreational fishermenconflicts over loss of traps due to their activities; and regulations and enforcementexcessive regulations, legislative managementofthefishery, andinadequateenforcement