Unalaska, AK – With 20 percent of the opilio crab total allowable catch still in the water, crab fisheries observers are being pulled from the field early. Observers are placed on at least 30 percent of the fishing boats to monitor the catch and collect data on crab size, sex, disease and other information as well as bycatch data. All of the information is used by the Alaska Department of Fish & Game to monitor the health of the fishery.

ADF&G Shellfish Observer Program Coordinator Mary Schwenzfeier says they are pulling observers off of boats early this season because they are on track for reaching the legally required coverage goal. Fewer registered boats went out to fish than anticipated so ADF&G needs fewer observers. Though the department is having budget problems, Schwenzfeier says they are not linked to the observer issue. The budget for the observer program was set early on but more of it was used earlier in the season than anticipated. Storms prevented boats from fishing so observers were being paid for days they did not collect data.

Schwenzfeier says removing the observers from the boats will not affect the quality of this year's data nor ADF&G's ability to accurately manage the fishery. Most boats do not have observers and it is not up to the observer program to track all instances of illegal fishing with in the opilio fishery. State troopers also monitor the grounds.