Alaskan Crab Fisherman Are In A Huge Pinch Thanks To Government Inaction

For generations, Alaskan families have built their livelihoods on harvesting crab in the renowned Bering Sea. Fishermen known as “Bering Sea crabbers” go out in treacherous and sometimes deadly conditions to catch a quota that is set in place by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. This quota provides a profitable allotment while also conserving the crab population.

However, the disastrous cancellation of not only the Bering Sea king crab season for the second year in a row but also the highly profitable snow crab season for the first time has left fishermen in shock and looking for answers. Bill Prout, captain of the Silver Spray fishing vessel in Kodiak Island, stated, “This historic move will not only cause families to go bankrupt but also hurt Alaska’s economy.” It will cost $500 million in estimated losses for crew, communities, and processors.

The season for Bairdi crab will remain open, but the allotment will be so small that crabbers will have to face the tough decision of whether it is worth it to go out and harvest. With the high price of fuel and reduced allocation allowed by the state, skippers and owners will have to consider consolidating their shares onto another vessel other than their own.

Bering Sea crabbers had pressed the North Pacific Fishery Management Council during its October meeting to do more to reduce the impact of vessels that comb the ocean floor for fish and catch crabs incidentally, but no significant action was taken. Their inaction may have caused the disappearance of the crab species. The council regulates federal fisheries, including addressing habitat concerns and setting catch limits.

The fisheries are under a highly sophisticated management system, yet the crab species have drastically decreased under the North Pacific Fishery Management Council’s watch and the management practices put in place by the state.

A New Low

“This is the first time a rationalized fishery has seen species collapse,” said Director of the Alaska Bering Sea Crabbers Jamie Goen. A rationalized fishery is managed by the state and federal government, which offer a preset allotment to the fishermen depending on species abundance.

What caused the crabs’ disappearance? Some point to global climate change, while others say there was a mass exodus. Scientists have no definite answers.

This comes after Alaska experienced a record $280 million king crab season in 2016, as well as researchers indicating a plentiful population of juvenile snow crab in 2017 and 2018, per the summer trawl survey that is conducted annually to determine the health of crab stocks and other species.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has canceled the seasons out of concern for the snow crab population’s continued decline for a second straight year. Per the survey results, mature male snow crabs have decreased by an additional 22 percent this year. Last year’s total allowable catch was set at 5.6 million pounds, making it a 90 percent cut to the lowest level in 40 years.

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