Federal fishery scientists have recommended a snow crab harvest limit at 16 million pounds, down from nearly 60 million pounds last year. Industry stakeholders had hoped for a similar catch level for the 2009/2010 season.
The decrease is not due to the snow crab stocks being in imminent danger of collapse; rather, their numbers are not reaching a set target on time, as defined by a rebuilding plan. Snow crab stocks in the Bering Sea were classified as "overfished" in 1999, when estimates went from 290 million pounds to 25 million, seemingly in a single year. By law, fishery managers were required to devise a rebuilding plan with a time frame of 10 years.
"So the snow crab fishery has been managed under this rebuilding plan since 2000 and 2010 is the target date to accomplish that," explained Doug Pengilly, research coordinator for the westward region at ADF&G in Kodiak. (The state and feds co-manage the Bering Sea crab fisheries.)
The snow crab biomass must reach 317 million pounds to be considered "rebuilt." It's estimated at 260 million pounds now. But at the current rate of fishing, the stocks won't reach the target on time.
"In May, the assessment biologists projected that if we were to try to achieve a 50 percent probability of being rebuilt (to 317 million pounds), the 2010 harvest may have to be in the order of 16 million pounds, rather than 50 million pounds," Pengilly said.
The results of the survey will tell the tale.
"Part of this projection is based on a guess at what might be occurring in this survey, and that guess could be wrong," Pengilly said. "So the situation could change -- for better or worse." Snow crab, or opilio Tanner, is Alaska's largest crab fishery, valued last year at $100 million at the docks.
Togiak herring tanks
Alaska's biggest roe herring fishery at Togiak in Bristol Bay was a bit of a bust. The fishery began on May 16 and ended after 10 days of brief openers, most lasting less than 30 minutes.
"Every year is different, but this year was more different than most," said Tim Sands, regional fishery manager at ADF&G in Dillingham.
The Togiak herring were late, small and showed up all at once, Sands said, adding that the bulk "spawned and quickly left." Only about two days yielded the larger fish typical at Togiak, Sands said, and then average weights dropped off sharply.
In a deja vu of last year's Bristol Bay sockeye salmon run, processors were unable to keep up with the peak of the herring catch, meaning lots of roe herring went unharvested.
"It was pretty disappointing to be on the fish and not able to take it," said Isaac Milligan aboard the F/V Gallant Girl. "But it was a fun fishery and it's a great boat and we did OK overall."
Managers estimated the seiners missed about 2,400 tons out of their 15,000-ton quota. Fishing also was scratchy for gillnetters, who took 3,803 tons, or 60 percent, of their herring quota.
"We didn't take all the quota, so by definition that is forgone harvest," Sands said. "And it is all at the door of the processors -- if they could have processed more, they could have taken more. But ... if the processors that are coming here are barely making any money now, how are you going to make them bring in more capacity?"
Twenty-two seiners and 32 gillnetters participated in the Togiak fishery this year, up slightly. Sands estimates the total Togiak herring harvest at 16,500, well below the 21,000 tons projected. The advance price is likely to average $125 per ton, similar to last year.
The herring are valued for their roe, a delicacy in Asian markets. The roe for the Togiak fish barely topped the 10 percent baseline.
Laine Welch is a Kodiak-based fisheries journalist. Her Fish Radio programs can be heard on stations around the state. Her information column appears every other Sunday. This material is protected by copyright. For information on reprinting or placing on your Web site or newsletter, contact msfish@alaska.com.
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