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 Red King Crabs are the largest crab species,
weighing an average of 6 to 10 pounds. Opilio
Crabs weigh an average of 1-3 pounds.
King crab season kicks
off the same date each year: October 15.
This season, 81 boats headed out to sea to fish their share of crab, down
from over 250 boats just two years ago (prior to rationalisation).
This year, the Total
Allowable Catch was 15.5 million pounds
for Bering Sea red king crab & 36.5
million pounds for opilio crab. As per
rationalisation guidelines, each boat in the fleet was given a
predetermined quota to catch.
The crab boats range in
size from 58 feet to 165 feet (most
are about 120 feet); each crew consists of a captain & 3 to
9 deckhands.
The crabs are caught in
800-pound metal pots that are baited with ground herring, sardines or cod
before they are dropped 400 feet below the surface.
Since crabs do not
appear on radar or migrate in the same pattern each year, captains must
rely on their experience & intuition to find the best locations
to fish.
Adult king crabs are
seldom found co-existing with the opposite sex, even though their
habitats may overlap. Fishermen are allowed to harvest only adult male
crab. All females & juveniles must be thrown back.
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