Alaskan crab fishermen and the communities that depend on them will get a short break from the terrible conditions they’ve been facing for the past two years starting this Sunday, when harvests for the famous red king crab begin.
Long term, changes in the environment and the economy make it hard to see a bright future for Bering Sea crab and the people who depend on it.
It was very close for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to decide not to allow harvesting of Bristol Bay red king crab after a two-year ban, a state biologist told industry members at a meeting on Thursday.
The red king crab is the biggest crab species that is caught for food, and its meat is very tasty.
The department’s decision to allow a small harvest, announced on Oct. 6, was based on preseason surveys by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service.
Biologist Mark Stichert said that the surveys show that the crash that shut down the Bristol Bay red king crab fishery for two years has reached its lowest point. This is the main place in Alaska where this highly sought-after seafood species is caught.
“The decline has stopped. Is it possible that the biomass is rising again? That’s not clear, Stichert said at the Thursday briefing. He is the Department of Fish and Game’s Kodiak-based groundfish and shellfish fisheries management coordinator.
Bairdi crab, also known as tanner crab, is a species found in the cold waters of the Bering Sea near Alaska. This crab has a controversial history due to past overfishing that led to strict regulations, essentially making most Bairdi crab fishing illegal today. Let’s take a deeper dive into why this crab became so regulated.
A Brief History of Bairdi Crab Fishing
- Bairdi crab fishing began in earnest in the 1960s off the coast of Alaska, with fleets catching millions of pounds each year.
- By the 1970s, overfishing led to a drastic decline in the Bairdi population. The total allowable catch fell from 90 million pounds in 1980 to just 2 million pounds in 1995.
- In 1996, Alaska banned all Bairdi crab fishing to allow the species to recover. This moratorium lasted for 9 years until 2005.
- Today, Bairdi crab fishing is still tightly regulated under Alaska’s strict quota system to prevent overfishing and population collapse.
Reasons for the fishing moratorium and continued restrictions
There are several key reasons why Alaska banned Bairdi crab fishing for nearly a decade and maintains strict quotas today:
- Overfishing – Intense pressure from the Bering Sea crab fishery in the 1970s-80s led to overharvesting. Catches far exceeded sustainable levels, severely depleting stocks.
- Slow maturity rate – Bairdi crabs take 4-5 years to reach maturity. This slow growth makes populations vulnerable.
- Changing ocean temperatures – Warmer waters have reduced Bairdi crab spawning and survival rates. Their preferred cold habitat is declining.
- Predation – Declining Bairdi numbers made them easy prey for cod, halibut, and other predators. This further suppressed population growth.
The quota system for today’s Bairdi crab fishery
- Alaska uses data from annual stock assessments to set strict catch quotas on Bairdi crab fishing.
- Quotas are designed to limit harvests to sustainable numbers that will support a stable, healthy population.
- The allowable catch can vary greatly year-to-year based on assessments. From 2010-2020, quotas ranged from 4.3 million to 15 million pounds.
- Bairdi quotas are divided between individual fishing vessels. Vessels must stop fishing once they hit their assigned quota.
- Bycatch of female and juvenile Bairdi crabs is prohibited. Only mature males within harvestable size limits can be retained.
Why most Bairdi crab fishing remains illegal
While limited Bairdi crab fishing is permitted under Alaska’s quota system, most Bairdi harvesting remains illegal:
- Fishing without an assigned vessel quota is prohibited. There is no “open access” Bairdi fishery.
- Retaining Bairdi crabs outside the established fishing season is illegal. The season generally runs from mid-January through mid-April.
- Capture of female and juvenile crabs is banned to support reproduction and stock renewal.
- Bairdi crabs cannot be taken with gear other than regulated commercial pots. Recreational harvesting is not allowed.
- Landings of Bairdi crab must be reported. Selling any illegally harvested crab is punishable by law.
Looking to the future
While still considered a rebuilding stock, the outlook for Bairdi crab is brighter today compared to the fishery’s collapse in the 1990s Careful management under the quota system aims to strike a sustainable balance, allowing limited commercial fishing while preserving stocks at healthy levels into the future But restrictions are likely to remain strict, with recreational harvesting closed until populations grow sufficiently to withstand additional pressure. For the foreseeable future, most Bairdi crab fishing will stay rightfully against the law.
Alaska’s Bairdi Crab Fishery Could Be Cancelled Until 2019
FAQ
Why is bairdi crab illegal in the USA?
Do people eat Bairdi crab?
Is bairdi crab better than snow crab?
Why is Bairdi crab so expensive?
Where do you buy bairdi crab?
Petersen says to look for bairdi, snow, or tanner crabs at the grocery store and to make sure that the crab comes from Alaska. “Checking the origin of your crab, and all seafood, and ensuring it comes from Alaska guarantees it is wild and sustainable,” she says. Since bairdi crab is so big, you likely won’t find a whole crab for sale.
What happens in Alaskan King Crab & bairdi crab?
The set-up — cameras following fishing vessels as their crews try to extract Alaskan king crab, opilio crab, and bairdi crab from the rough waters that churn off the Aleutian Islands — is full of ready-made drama. Shipwrecks are common, as are deadly fires and gruesome accidents and drownings. Crabbing is not for the faint of heart or the fragile.
Where can you find bairdi crab in Alaska?
Both are found in the Northern Pacific Ocean. In stores, you’ll find Alaska bairdi crab listed as snow, bairdi, or tanner crab, says Theresa Peterson, an active fisherman, resident of Kodiak, Alaska, and the Alaska fisherman and fisheries policy director at Alaska Marine Conservation Council . Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, ASMI
Is bairdi crab healthy?
Like other shellfish, bairdi crab is a source of lean protein and high in nutrients, including amino acids, iron, omega-3s, and vitamins A, B12, C, and D. Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute, ASMI You may find bairdi crab in your local grocery store’s seafood or frozen sections.