Shellfish managers with the Alaska Department of Fish and
Game said March 11 that the bulk of the 41,376-pound winter red king crab quota
for Norton Sound has been harvested, leaving just 15,200 pounds to catch.
Based on current catch rates, the entire open access
guideline harvest level was expected to end by the third week of March, they
said.
Following the end of the open access winter commercial
fishery, ADF&G will open a commercial fishery by emergency order to harvest
the community development quota allocation of 517,000 pounds of red king crab.
By regulation, the CDQ is allocated 7.5 percent of the
allowable commercial harvest, and this year this equates to 38,190 additional
pounds.
The winter CDQ season closes when the CDQ allocation is
harvested, but could also close earlier at the discretion of CDQ management, by
emergency order by ADF&G, or as required by regulation on April 30.
Any CDQ quota not taken during the winter will be taken
during the summer red king crab commercial fishery.
This CDQ fishery is open to all residents 18 years or older
of the Norton Sound Economic Development Corporation’s 15 member communities
who qualify to obtain a CDQ gear permit card and who sign the 2016 NSEDC North
Sound Red King Crab Fishermen’s Agreement and NSEDC residency verification
forms.
To date, 28 commercial permit holders have registered for
the open access fishery.
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