1999 

 OUR LIVING OCEANS 



Table 20-1 



Productivity in metric tons 

 and status of Alaska shell- 

 fish fisheries resources. 



Species 



Tanner crabs 

 Snow crabs 

 King crabs 

 Shrimp 

 Snails 



Total 



52,131 



52,131 



113,218 



JBering Sea 



^-Abundance 



Figure 20-1 



Landings in metric tons (t) 

 and abundance trends of 

 king crabs in the Gulf of 

 Alaska and Bering Sea. 



Opposite page; Oregon tri- 

 ton. 



Years 



averages; current potential yield is set equal to re- 

 cent average yield, calculated as the most recent 

 three-year average. Stock status is determined by 

 comparison of the short-term average catches 

 against long-term production. The recent average 

 yields for king (7,170 metric tons (t)) and Tanner 

 (2,857 t) crabs are below their respective long-term 

 potential of 36, 48 1 and 2 1,751 t. By contrast, the 

 recent average vield tor snow crab of 39,053 t is 

 above its long-term potential yield of 37,202 t. 

 Alaska crab resources are hilly utilized. 



The ex-vessel value for king crabs in 1 997 was 

 $56,000,000, $3,800,000 for Tanner crabs (.South- 

 east Alaska only), and $88,000,000 for snow crabs. 

 Landings in 1 997 were: king crab (9,200 t). Tan- 

 ner crab (862 t), and snow crab (53,220 t). Al- 

 most all this production came from the Bering Sea, 

 where value and landings tor king crab were 

 ($43,000,000 from 6,720 t). All snow crab land- 

 ings came from the Bering Sea, and these domi- 

 nated the total crab landings, comprising 58% of 



value and 82% of catch (Alaska Department of 

 Fish and Game, 1998). 



The fleet fishing for Alaska crab is comprised 

 of 200-250 vessels, manv of which arc based in 

 the Pacific Northwest. Crabs are captured with 

 baited pots, and most of the catch is landed in 

 Dutch Harbor, Alaska. Catches are restricted by 

 quotas, seasons, and size and sex limits, with land- 

 ings limited to large male crabs. Fishing seasons 

 are set at times of the year which avoid molting, 

 mating, and soft-shell periods, both to protect crab 

 resources and to maintain product quality. 



Catch and abundance trends (Stevens et al., 

 1998) for king crabs are shown in Figure 20-1. 

 After a 1 964-66 peak, declines were evident. Un- 

 til 1967, Japanese and Russian fisheries dominated 

 Bering Sea landings, but those fisheries were 

 phased out by 1974. In the Bering Sea, domestic 

 catches peaked at 74,000 t in 1980 and then 

 dropped precipitously in 1981, Since then, the 

 catches have remained low. Gulf of Alaska catches 

 peaked in 1 965, then varied at a relatively low level 

 for a decade before dropping lower still in 1983. 

 Almost all Gulf of Alaska king crab fisheries have 

 been closed since 1983. 



lanner and snow crab trends (Stevens et al., 

 1998) are shown in Figure 20-2. The 1965-75 

 period was a developmental phase. During 1 975— 

 85, the catch peaked at about 75,000 t in 1979 

 mil\ then declined. Since 1984 the catch increased, 

 reaching an all-time high of 168,000 t in 1991, 

 and then decreased into 1997. Abundance trends 

 for Bering Sea stocks indicate that the Tanner crab 

 stock declined from a relatively high level in the 

 late I970's to a low in 1985. The stock recovered 

 and then declined again subsequent to 1989, and 

 is currently at a low level. From a low in 1985, 

 snow crab rebounded sharpiv, producing the high 

 catches of 1991. 



2 1 



