February 28, 2017 — The following has been released by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game Division of Commercial Fisheries:
Approximately 17,000 pounds (43%) remain of the winter red king crab open access commercial guideline harvest. Based on current catch rates, the open access guideline harvest level (GHL) should be entirely caught by sometime in early March. The red king crab GHL for the Norton Sound winter through the ice commercial fishery is 39,744 pounds.
Following the conclusion of the open access winter commercial fishery, the department will open a commercial fishery by emergency order (EO) to harvest the CDQ allocation of the 2017 GHL of 496,800 pounds of red king crab. By regulation, the CDQ is allocated 7.5% of the allowable commercial harvest. In 2017, this equates to 37,260 additional pounds that could be harvested this winter. The winter CDQ season will close when the CDQ allocation is harvested. However, it could also close earlier at the discretion of CDQ management by NSEDC, by EO by ADF&G, or as required by regulation on April 30. Any CDQ quota not taken during the winter can be taken during the summer red king crab commercial fishery.
Commercial fishing for CDQ crab is open to all residents 18 years or older of NSEDC’s fifteen member communities who qualify to obtain a CDQ gear permit card and who sign the 2017 NSEDC Norton Sound Red King Crab Fisherman’s Agreement and NSEDC Residency Verification forms. Interested fishermen should contact NSEDC at 443–2477 if they have questions about the process of becoming eligible to fish for CDQ red king crab.
To date, 55 commercial permit holders have registered with the department for the open access fishery. Permit holders are reminded that they need to register at the ADF&G office in Nome before crabbing. Crabbers fishing both open access and CDQ fisheries do not need to obtain separate pot tags for the CDQ fishery; however, they DO need to register with ADF&G for BOTH fisheries. Village residents can call the ADF&G office to register. Catcher-sellers must also register with the department before selling crab and must turn in any fish tickets every week to ADF&G.
Each permit holder is allowed to fish a total of 20 pots. If any pots are lost, permit holders can get replacement tags by filling out an affidavit at the Nome ADF&G office and reporting the lost tag numbers. No replacement tags will be issued without this information.
Permit holders must be present any time commercial pot gear is being operated, and can only be assisted by licensed crew members. Crewmembers cannot deploy or operate gear on their own. For further information please contact the Nome office at 907-443-5167 or 1-800-560-2271. Good Luck, Good Crabbing and Be Safe Out There!