Unalaska, AK – The Aleutian Island Golden King Crab season will be the first crab fishery to open this summer on August 15. The total allowable catch will remain at 5.985 million pounds this year. The number is set in regulation and will stay at that level unless there are serious conservation concerns that require it to be lowered. Alaska Department of Fish & Game Area Management Biologist Forrest Bowers says they are working on developing a populations dynamics model for the fishery that would include abundance estimates. This model would then be used to make annual adjustments to the TAC, like in most other fisheries. The TAC for Golden King Crabs was set about 5 percent lower for many years until the Board of Fish decided to raise it. Bowers says the department does not have enough information to know if the increase will affect the population's health. The abundance estimates might be ready for use next year.

The golden king fishery was worth about $13.5 million dollars last year. The five or six boats that fished in it received an ex-vessel price of $2.68 per pound. Golden king crabs are worth about 50 percent less than red king crabs. The fishery will run from August 15 until May 15. The fishery has been active for 30 years.