September 11, 2025 — Red king crab fishermen in Southeast Alaska are getting a competitive commercial fishery this year — the first since 2017.
Red king crab is a low-volume, high-value fishery. The crab can bring in over $100 each. But commercial openings have been few and far between with just one in over a decade.
State regulations require at least 200,000 pounds of harvestable crab to be available for a commercial opener in the region. That minimum was set decades ago, when the crab was less valuable and the industry required higher volumes to make money.
For years, stock estimates have repeatedly fallen short of that threshold. But not this year. Instead, managers announced on Sept. 2 that over 211,000 pounds of crab will be available for harvest.