Alaska cancels snow, king crab season over population concerns

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has canceled the Bristol Bay king crab season for a second year in a row and called off the winter hunting season for smaller snow crabs.  

Officials scrubbed the hunting seasons out of concern for king and snow crab populations following the release of a summer survey showing that the abundance of both species is declining.  

“Understanding crab fishery closures have substantial impacts on harvesters, industry, and communities, ADF&G must balance these impacts with the need for long-term conservation and sustainability of crack stocks,” the agency said in a statement announcing the cancellation of the Bering Sea snow crab.  

“Management of Bering Sea snow crab must now focus on conservation and rebuilding given the condition of the stock.”  

Many Alaskan crab fishers were devastated by the decision.

“Many members of Alaska’s fleet will face bankruptcy, including second- and third-generation crabbers whose families are steeped in the culture of this industry,” said the trade association Alaskan Bering Sea Crabbers in a statement on Tuesday. “Long-time crew members who have worked these decks for decades will be jobless. “

Biologists and fishery managers have long warned of declining snow and crab populations, with many pointing to warming waters linked to climate change as the culprit. 

The results of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration survey of the Bering Sea Continental Shelf show that while total crab numbers increased from a record low in 2021, the number of mature male crabs was still low in 2022.  

According to the survey, the total combined estimate of mature male biomass for all crab stocks was 64,894 tons, an 11 percent increase from last year’s number.  

Survey crafters determined the mature male snow crab population decreased by 22 percent from last year’s numbers, while mature female snow crab numbers fell by 33 percent.  

While fisheries only harvest male crabs of a certain size, noting the female population can give insight into the likelihood of a population rebounding.  

The survey also found that the number of juvenile male and female snow crabs has skyrocketed since last year, jumping by 138 percent and 3,902 percent respectively, which could mean that in time the species could recover.