According to the Juneau state Department of Fish and Game there were nine surveyed nine where fishermen typically catch red king crab and determined the amount of mature male red king crab is at the lowest level in 16 years. It is said that this news was a blow to the roughly 80 permit holders the closure will affect; some doubted the survey’s validity.
Kathy Hansen, executive director for the Southeast Alaska Fishermen’s Alliance, informed that they don’t believe their survey results are a complete indication of the health of the stocks. Joe Stratman, the department’s shellfish management project leader, opined that the Fish and Game department conducted the survey between late June and early August. He added that six of the surveyed areas were determined to be in poor stock health, two were below average, and one was moderate.
It is true that blue crab is considered an “insignificant bycatch” of the red crab fishery, which is why it is included in the closure. Stratman declined to make a prediction about the chances for a 2010 season. Ladd Norheim of Petersburg said he was disappointed, but not surprised by the closure. Even though he can’t catch red king crab, he still has to make payments on his permit. The red king crab has been in decline since 2001, but Norheim contends there is an abundance. For some reason, he said, the surveyors can’t seem to find them each summer.
