PETERSBURG — Fishing season for tanner and golden king crab has opened in Southeast Alaska.
Fishing for the two species opened at noon Wednesday, KFSK-FM reported. The most popular areas will be open for seven days, with the other non-core areas staying open for 12 days.
Last year's tanner catch was the best in 15 seasons, at more than 1.4 million pounds. Tanner crab sold for an average of $1.93 a pound, netting more than $2.7 million at the docks. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game's estimate of the amount of legal-size male Tanner crab in the region is up this year, to just under 5.7 million pounds.
Last year the total golden king catch was 129,822 pounds, with an average price of $12.10 a pound. Wildlife officials have limited the region-wide Guideline Harvest Level for golden king crab at 155,000, with guideline levels set in seven different management areas.
There are 61 boats registered to use pots to fish for tanner crab this year.