For the second year in a row, the Bristol Bay red king crab season echoed the derby days. In just three weeks fishermen have caught 95 percent of the 7.9 million pound quota.

Fish and Game area management biologist Heather Fitch says the quick season can be attributed to several factors. Preliminary numbers show boats pulling up an average of 30 legal crab per pot, compared to a 5-year average of 24. The average weight of the crab is also significantly significantly higher than the 5-year trend at 6.9 pounds, compared to an average of 6.4 pounds.

Jake Jacobsen is director of Inter-cooperative Exchange, the largest crab coop. He says fishermen reported the crab were easy to find and abundant.

Of the 63 vessels that fished this season, eight are still out on the grounds.

The red king crab season officially closes on January 15.