The Alaska Department of Fish & Game (ADF&G) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) have completed analysis of NMFS trawl survey data for Bristol Bay red king crab. The 2011-12 total allowable catch (TAC) was set at 7.83 million lb -- about half the 14.84 million lb-quota set for 2010.
This year’s figures were based on abundance and biomass estimates from the ADF&G lengthbased analysis model.
This comprises the lowest harvest quota for Bristol Bay red king crab (Paralithodes camtschaticus) since 1988, when it was lowered to 7.38 million lb. The fishery was also closed in 1994 and 1995, reports Alaska Journal of Commerce.
In economic terms, Bristol Bay red king crab fetched at least USD 7 per lb in ex-vessel value in 2010. Based on that price, it represents about a USD 50 million loss at the docks, and about USD 94 million lost in first wholesale revenue.
The Bristol Bay red king crab stock was found to be above the mature female abundance threshold of 8.4 million crabs and the effective spawning biomass (ESB) is over the threshold of 14.5 million lb. The 2011 Bristol Bay red king crab ESB is estimated to be 43.08 million lb.
Since the ESB estimate is less than 55.0 million lb but higher than 34.75 million lb, a 12.5 per cent exploitation rate is applied to the estimated mature male abundance of 10.125 million crabs.
The 2011-12 Bristol Bay red king crab fishery will open on 15 October and will remain open through 15 January.
The tanner (bairdi) crab fishery is closed, as researchers have established that it is overfished.
In contrast, the St Matthews blue king crab is up by a whopping 47 per cent to 2.36 million lb for the 2011-12 season. The 2010-11 quota of 1.6 million lb brought USD 5 per pound at the docks, or about USD 8 million in ex-vessel revenue.
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