This is bad news for a business that has defined Alaska’s seafood market. Let’s hope that management ensures these runs for the future.
Over the past three years, recruitment rates have been “extremely low.” Male crabs — which are the only crabs that can be legally caught — have become less abundant, and fewer young crabs are reaching maturity. Jie Zheng is a crab biometrician for ADFG, and he coauthored the report along with Shareef Siddeek. He says that the near future doesn’t look great for red king crab.
via KIAL: Outlook not so good for Bristol Bay red king crab (2010-09-13).