Gabriel Prout is happy with his small catch of king crab, but the fishing port in Kodiak, Alaska is bracing for financial trouble because of the disappearance of another type of crustacean: the lucrative snow crab season has been canceled for the second year in a row.
“It’s clear that we’re still trying to figure out how to stay in business,” he told CBS News.
People who fish for Alaskan crab were confused when the season was called off last year. There is now a feeling of panic in the state’s fisheries, which provide 60% of the country’s seafood.
“It’s still hard to understand how we could go from having a healthy population in the Bering Sea to having to close two ports in a row,” Prout said.
And while he is barely holding on, others — like Joshua Songstad — have lost almost everything.
That was it, Songstad said. “Now I’m stuck at home with no money and not much to do.”
The crisis started in early 2022, when biologists found that an estimated billion crabs had died, which is 90% of the population.
Ben Daly, a research coordinator for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, said, “the first thing we thought was, Is this real? You know, we looked at it and it was almost a flat line.”
“The environment is changing quickly,” Daly told CBS News when the snow crab season was canceled for the first time ever last year. “The Bering Sea has been warm for a few years now, and we’re seeing a response from a species that lives in cold places, so it’s clear that the two are linked.” It is a canary in a coal mine for other species that need cold water. “.
A new study from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says that a marine heat wave caused by climate change ruined the snow crabs’ food supply and killed them.
Biologists are hopeful that this second round of suspensions will give the remaining snow crabs time to grow back in size.
But because the climate threat is getting worse, people are worried that the snow crabs and the businesses that depend on them will continue to go away.
“Im a fourth-generation fisherman,” Songstad said. There won’t be any of us left if we keep going the way we are. I’d like to say that this will be here for my kids, but the truth is that we’re a dying breed. “.
For decades, Alaska’s bountiful crab fisheries have been a vital economic engine and source of delicious seafood Snow crab, king crab, and other premium crab varieties like bairdi and opilio harvested in Alaskan waters are treasured delicacies But in recent years, dramatic declines in crab stocks have led to widespread fishery closures, leaving many asking – when is Alaska crab season?
Unfortunately, the answer for the 2022-2023 season is that most crab fisheries remain closed. For the second year in a row, both the Bristol Bay red king crab and Bering Sea snow crab seasons have been canceled. These closures aim to allow depleted crab populations time to rebuild but have dealt a devastating blow to the Alaska crab industry.
In this article, we’ll break down which Alaska crab fisheries are currently open or closed, reasons behind the closures, the outlook for future seasons, and what this means for crab lovers. Keep reading to learn more about the uncertain future of one of Alaska’s most iconic fisheries.
2022-2023 Alaska Crab Season Status
Here is a summary of the status for major Alaska crab fisheries this season
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Bristol Bay Red King Crab – CLOSED for the second straight year due to population below threshold levels
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Bering Sea Snow Crab – CLOSED for the first time ever after surveys found a 90% drop in abundance since 2018.
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Eastern Bering Sea Tanner Crab – OPEN but with a reduced total allowable harvest of only 2 million lbs, down from 15 million lbs.
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Pribilof Island Red King Crab – CLOSED due to continuing population uncertainties.
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Pribilof Island Blue King Crab – CLOSED as the stock remains overfished and below the minimum safe level.
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Aleutian Island Golden King Crab – OPEN but the harvest limit recently lowered by 20% as a precaution.
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Kodiak Red King Crab – OPEN with a slightly increased harvest limit compared to 2021-2022.
What Led to the Fishery Closures?
The root causes behind Alaska’s crab fishery collapses are complex but seem to stem from multiple climate and ecosystem factors:
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Warming ocean temperatures and declining sea ice in the Bering Sea have stressed cold-water crab species.
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Persistent marine heatwaves have impacted the food chain, leading to crab starvation.
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Increased predation from cod and other predators has added pressure.
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Crabs appear unable to successfully reproduce, with few juveniles surviving.
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Fishing pressure and trawling bycatch exacerbated existing population declines.
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A 2019 marine heat wave was linked to mass die-offs and reproductive failure.
Essentially, a “perfect storm” of environmental and human impacts has battered Alaska’s crab stocks since 2018. The population crashed in dramatic fashion, with Bering Sea snow crab abundance plummeting by over 90% in just two years.
Fishery managers had no choice but to close seasons to halt any further population declines. While necessary, these closures have been economically devastating for Alaska’s crab fleet.
Outlook for Future Alaska Crab Seasons
The big question now is when Alaska’s major crab fisheries might reopen. Unfortunately, prospects for fishing in 2023-2024 remain highly uncertain.
Bristol Bay red king crab and Bering Sea snow crab both failed to significantly rebound during the 2022 closure season. Surveys found minimal population growth, and both fisheries could remain closed for a third year.
However, fishery managers will re-evaluate survey data in summer 2023 to decide if limited harvests can resume, particularly for snow crab. Even small fishery openings could throw a lifeline to the struggling crab fleet.
Climate change impacts will continue threatening Alaska’s crab stocks. But limiting trawling bycatch and protecting important crab habitat may aid population recovery sooner.
Fishery experts hope that 5-10 years of closed seasons will allow most crab stocks to eventually rebuild back to sustainable levels. But there are no guarantees as environmental conditions continue shifting.
Alaska’s fishery managers face difficult balancing acts. They must close fisheries long enough to protect crab populations from irreversible collapse. Yet they also need to reopen them before too many fishing livelihoods are lost.
Impact of the Closures on the Alaska Crab Industry
The severe decline of Alaska’s crab fisheries has sent shockwaves through coastal communities that depend on this staple industry. The impacts have been wide-ranging:
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Estimated revenue losses of $500 million from canceled seasons.
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Many multigenerational family crab boats now unemployed with no income.
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Processing plants and fishery support services losing significant business.
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The future of many small fishing towns put in jeopardy.
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Years of culture and tradition surrounding crab fishing now endangered.
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Heavy job losses for crew members who worked these fisheries for decades.
While a handful of boats can still target tanner crab and smaller king crab quotas, the crashed Bering Sea fisheries were the economic engines of Alaska’s crab industry. Fishermen face bankruptcy, and whole communities are struggling to survive with little to no crab fishing over the past two years.
Some Alaska fishermen have diversified into other fisheries like salmon or cod to stay afloat. But many worry their livelihoods may disappear if major crab fisheries cannot rebound within the next few seasons.
The once-thriving Bering Sea snow crab fishery exemplifies the current crisis. For the first time ever, the 2022-2023 snow crab season was canceled after the population dropped over 90% in just two years.
Impact on Snow Crab Consumers and Prices
For snow crab lovers across the U.S., the closures of Alaska’s major fisheries have meant shortages and higher prices at restaurants and seafood counters.
With Alaska’s snow crab fleet grounded, most snow crab now comes from Canada’s Atlantic and Arctic fisheries. But these regions have smaller quotas, leading to limited supply.
As a result, ex-vessel prices for snow crab rocketed up over 60% in 2022 compared to the previous season. Tight supply and inflation have also driven large retail price hikes.
Consumers will likely face high snow crab prices and occasional shortages until Alaska can hopefully resume harvesting. Snow crab imports from Russia are banned currently as well, further constraining global supply.
Cheaper imitation “snow crab” is also appearing in more supermarkets and restaurants, often made from less expensive fish like pollock or Pacific cod.
Impact on Consumers of King Crab
Alaska’s king crab fisheries face similar challenges, with the Bristol Bay red king closure also significantly impacting supply and prices.
Most king crab sold in the U.S. now comes from Russia and Norway, along with a few other isolated Alaska fisheries still open. Prices have risen sharply as Alaska’s fleet sits idle.
Due to strong consumer demand, king crab prices were already high and rising before the Alaska closures. But lack of supply from major fishing grounds like Bristol Bay has worsened the situation.
With king crab costs already high, many restaurants have removed it from menus. Retail availability has also become sporadic in some regions.
Consumers can expect continued high prices for king crab until Bristol Bay and other Alaskan fisheries can reopen and boost production again.
Supporting Alaska’s Crab Industry Through the Crisis
The challenging situation has certainly dealt a blow to Alaska’s crab fleet, related businesses, and the broader seafood industry. But there are still ways consumers can support them through the crisis:
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Contact lawmakers – Ask them to back disaster relief and grant funding to aid impacted fishing communities.
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** Shop local** – Seek out Alaska seafood and crab when available in your area.
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Choose sustainable – Pick seafood with reputable sustainability certifications like MSC.
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Try different varieties – Expand your palate to Dungeness, stone crab, and other sustainable types.
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Get involved – Support nonprofits like Alaska Sea Grant’s research and training programs.
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Stay positive – Keep enjoying Alaska crab when available, as demand supports the industry during rebuilding.
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Plan a visit – Consider Alaska fishing community tourism when crab seasons resume.
With combined efforts from consumers, fishermen, scientists, and policymakers, Alaska’s cherished crab fisheries can hopefully recover and once again thrive in the coming years.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are quick answers to some common questions on Alaska’s crab fishery closures:
When will Bering Sea snow crab season reopen?
Unknown. Surveys found minimal recovery in 2022, so the closure may extend through 2023. Managers will re-evaluate in summer 2023.
Will king crab prices go down again?
Not soon. Until major fisheries like Bristol Bay
ClimateWatch: Climate Change News & Features
Jonathan Vigliotti is a CBS News correspondent based in Los Angeles. He previously served as a foreign correspondent for the networks London bureau.