Tag Archives: tanner crab fishery
Big back-to-back years renew talks of Kodiak Tanner crab protections
The last two years have been big for Kodiak Tanner crab fishermen. Processors offered a record of more than $8 per pound back in 2022. And this year’s harvest levels were the highest they’ve been since 1986, making it the largest crab fishery in the state. But all that attention has also renewed discussions about how to best manage – and protect – the fishery going forward. Back in January, boats sat on anchor waiting to offload their huge crab harvests at Kodiak processors – sometimes for a week or more. Kodiak’s Tanner crab population tends to fluctuate. But when numbers are good, the season opens in mid-January. More than 130 vessels participated in this year’s fishery. Peterson said it’s welcome work for skippers and crew. >click to read< 08:02
Kodiak fishermen continue to stand down amid processor price dispute
Fishermen should have been setting their gear on Sunday morning for the opening of Kodiak’s biggest Tanner crab fishery since 1986. But the boat harbor was almost full, dozens of vessels were stacked high with empty crab pots. At the coffee shop downtown right near the docks, fishermen lined up for free coffee instead. Frank Miles owns the fishing vessel Sumner Strait, a 58-foot limit seiner and has fished commercially for nearly 50 years. His first Tanner season around Kodiak was in the early 80s, when he chopped bait for a local boat. “But I never in my wildest dreams thought that we’re gonna get offered $2.50, it really is a slap in the face,” said Miles. >click to read< 07:29
Kodiak fishermen gearing up for biggest tanner crab season in decades
Kodiak’s tanner crab fishery opens on Sunday, Jan. 15 and it’s a whopper – this year’s harvest levels are the biggest they’ve been in nearly 40 years, and fishermen are gearing up for a big season in more ways than one. Darren Platt owns the fishing vessel Agnes Sabine. It’s a 48-foot seiner – normally, he goes out for salmon – sometimes herring – and this is his fourth season fishing for tanner crabs. He said this year, there’s been a buzz in both of Kodiak’s boat harbors. “It looks almost like pre-salmon season,” he said. “There’s a lot of boats that haven’t fished tanner crabs in a while, or maybe have never fished it and so they’re just getting geared up now. And so the docks have been pretty darn busy for December and January.” >click to read< 12:15
Southeast Alaska’s upcoming tanner crab fishery could be the best in decades
The upcoming tanner crab fishery in Southeast Alaska is looking very promising. The fishery starts on Feb. 11, and the harvest and price could be historic. State crab managers haven’t seen this kind of encouraging preview for Southeast’s tanner fishery for a few decades. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has tracked the tanner population through annual surveys since the late 1990s. “What we’re seeing is kind of historically high levels,” said Joe Stratman. He says the numbers look like they did when the surveys first started. It’s not only the harvest that looks good but also the price. >click to read< 17:08
