Alaska Shellfish Fisheries 



Unit 



20 



JERRY E REEVES 

 BENJAMIN J TURNOCK 



NMFS Alaska Fisheries 

 Science Center 



Seattle 

 Washington 



INTRODUCTION 



Alaska's major shellfish fisheries developed in 

 the 1960's in the Gult of Alaska, subsequently ex- 

 panding to the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands 

 region. Shellfish landings in 1997 generated an 

 ex-vessel value of $ 1 5 1 ,000,000 (preliminary). The 

 most important of these are the king and snow 

 crab fisheries at $ 1 44,000,000. There was no fish- 

 ery for Tanner crab in the Bering Sea in 1997 due 

 to low stock abiuidance. Shrimp resources remain 

 depressed, and sea snails are only lightly harvested. 

 These and other miscellaneous invertebrate land- 

 ings contributed about $7,000,000 to ex-vessel 

 revenue in 1997. 



King and Tanner crab fisheries are managed 

 primarily by the State ot Alaska, with advice from 

 a Federal fishery management plan for the Bering 

 Sea and Aleutian Islands stocks. The sea snail re- 

 source flills under management of a Federal pre- 

 liminary fishery management plan. Shrimp and 



other nearshore fisheries are managed by the Alaska 

 Department of Fish and Game. 



SPECIES AND STATUS 



Crab 



Three king crab species (red, blue, and golden 

 or brown) and two Tanner crab species ( Fanner 

 crab and snow crab) have traditionally been har- 

 vested commercially off Alaska. Since the last re- 

 port (National Marine Fisheries Service, 1996) ex- 

 ploratory fisheries on new deep-water stocks ot 

 scarlet king crab, grooved Tanner crab, and tri- 

 angle Tanner crab have begun, producing only 

 minor landings to date. Yield values trom these 

 fisheries are presented in Table 20-1. Inlormation 

 on current and long-term potential yield is lack- 

 ing tor king and Tanner crabs: thus detault values 

 were derived from historical average landings. 

 Long-term potential yield is represented by catch 



Sorting snow crab, eastern 

 Bering Sea. 



209 



