The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has released the total allowable catch (TAC) figures for the upcoming crab season and, as expected, the harvest level for Bristol Bay red king crab is lower than last season after summer surveys reported the stock remains in a declining trend.
The TAC for Bristol Bay red king crab is 14.84 million pounds, down 7.25 percent from the 16 million pounds harvested last season.
The quota level for Bering Sea snow crab is 54.28 million pounds, an increase of 13 percent over the 48 million pounds harvested last season.
The small Bering Sea tanner crab fishery, which had a harvest of only 1.48 million pounds last season, is closed for 2010-11. The trawl surveys conducted over the summer found mature female biomass of just 15.1 million pounds, well below the minimum threshold of 21.5 million pounds.
A positive for the crab industry was an increase in the TAC for the St Matthew Island king crab fishery. After a 10-year closure, the fishery reopened last season with a TAC of 1.16 million pounds, of which only 40 percent was harvested.
An increase in biomass of 28 percent versus 2009 for the St Matthew stock led to an increase in the TAC to 1.6 million pounds.
The crab season begins 15 October.
[Source: Alaska Journal of Commerce]
