The quota for Bristol Bay red king crab could be smaller this year.

According to a draft memo obtained by Deckboss blogger Wesley Loy, results from this year’s National Marine Fisheries Service trawl survey have the biomass of legal-sized male crab at just under 34 million pounds -- a 28% decline from last year’s figure. This would be fourth year in a row that biomass has shrunk.

The total allowable catch for the fishery will be set over the next few weeks, before the season opening of October 15. Last year, the TAC was set at 14.8 million pounds.