Norton Sound Commercial Red King Crab Harvest Set at 410,000 Pounds

Norton Sound commercial harvesters have been allocated a guideline harvest level (GHL) of 410,000 pounds of red king crab for 2025, or 8.99% of the legal male biomass, to include 32,800 pounds for the winter commercial red king crab fishery.

A Jan. 2 announcement by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game noted that an additional 30,750 pounds, or 7.5% of the commercial GHL, is allocated to the Community Development Quota (CDQ) fishery.

During its December meeting in Anchorage, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council adopted an overfishing level (OFL) of 628,000 pounds, with an acceptable biological catch of 440,000 pounds. The OFL and ABC include both retained and discarded crab.

The legal male biomass (LMB) was estimated at 4.56 million pounds.

As of Jan. 2, there were no permit holders or buyers registered for the winter commercial crab fishery. If no buyer registers for that fishery permit holders may only sell crab as a registered catcher-seller or with other state marketing programs.

Subsistence harvesters wanting to participate in the commercial fishery must deregister for the subsistence harvest and have their gear removed from the water a minimum of 14 days prior to Feb. 1.

Commercial harvest participants must obtain a 2025 Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission permit for king crab in Norton Sound and register at the ADF&G office in Nome to receive pot tags before crabbing.  Crew on board must have a 2025 commercial crewmember license or an Alaska state commercial fishing permit for any fishery for 2025.

Source: https://fishermensnews.com/norton-sound-commercial-red-king-crab-harvest-set-at-410000-pounds/