Just one of three sections of the Eastern Aleutian District Tanner crab fishery will open on January 15, based on a survey estimate showing that the number of mature male Tanner crab exceeded the required threshold.
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) said that the abundance of mature male Tanner crab in the Makushin/Skan Bay Section is 291,480 crab, which is above the threshold of 45,000 crab required for a fishery opening. ADF&G has set the guideline harvest level at 35,000 pounds.
The survey abundance estimate of mature male Tanner crab in the Akutan Section is 99,178 crab, which is below the threshold of 2,000,000 crab required for a fishery opening.
Likewise, the survey abundance estimate of mature male Tanner crab in the Unalaska/Kalekta Bay Section is 63,848 crab, which is below the threshold of 65,000 crab required for a fishery opening in that section.
Therefore, both the Akutan and Unalaska/Kalekta Bay sections will be closed for the 2018 season. Preseason registration forms for the Makushin/Skan Bay section fishery must be received by ADF&G in Dutch Harbor by December 24.
Preregistration forms are available at the Dutch Harbor office and online at http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/cfregion4/dynamic/shellfish/management/vesreg/index.
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) said that the abundance of mature male Tanner crab in the Makushin/Skan Bay Section is 291,480 crab, which is above the threshold of 45,000 crab required for a fishery opening. ADF&G has set the guideline harvest level at 35,000 pounds.
The survey abundance estimate of mature male Tanner crab in the Akutan Section is 99,178 crab, which is below the threshold of 2,000,000 crab required for a fishery opening.
Likewise, the survey abundance estimate of mature male Tanner crab in the Unalaska/Kalekta Bay Section is 63,848 crab, which is below the threshold of 65,000 crab required for a fishery opening in that section.
Therefore, both the Akutan and Unalaska/Kalekta Bay sections will be closed for the 2018 season. Preseason registration forms for the Makushin/Skan Bay section fishery must be received by ADF&G in Dutch Harbor by December 24.
Preregistration forms are available at the Dutch Harbor office and online at http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/cfregion4/dynamic/shellfish/management/vesreg/index.