SFR Alaska Bering Sea king and snow crab seasons canceled

Sorta fishing-related
I was involved in the Alaska seafood biz for over 35 years. While over harvest can be blamed for some of problems in catch quota numbers dropping, this reasoning is too simplistic. Both the ADFG as well as NMFS both monitor these crab fisheries ( and all Alaskan fisheries) with an iron fist.

The “heat blob” that overtook the Gulf of Alaska in 2016 had significant effects on both pollock and cod quotas. The fish just disappeared.

The Bering Sea has seen temperature rises in 2019. This effect can’t be discounted.

As far as Chinese Communist fishermen taking our resources, this is simply silly. The Coast Guard is ready and manned to foil any illegal fishing in Alaska. Both king and opilio (snow) crab are caught in relatively shallow shelf waters towards Bristol Bay. They would have to extremely brave or stupid Chinese to fish so close in.
 
Lance Magnuson said:
I was involved in the Alaska seafood biz for over 35 years. While over harvest can be blamed for some of problems in catch quota numbers dropping, this reasoning is too simplistic. Both the ADFG as well as NMFS both monitor these crab fisheries ( and all Alaskan fisheries) with an iron fist.

The “heat blob” that overtook the Gulf of Alaska in 2016 had significant effects on both pollock and cod quotas. The fish just disappeared.

The Bering Sea has seen temperature rises in 2019. This effect can’t be discounted.

As far as Chinese Communist fishermen taking our resources, this is simply silly. The Coast Guard is ready and manned to foil any illegal fishing in Alaska. Both king and opilio (snow) crab are caught in relatively shallow shelf waters towards Bristol Bay. They would have to extremely brave or stupid Chinese to fish so close in.
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Can you speak to the validity of the claims that the WDFW consulted on this fishery and the crabs heard about it and that WDFW was going to triple the quota and they left in fear citing maximum sustained harvest was just too scary for them?
 
Dustin I certainly agree with your view on MSH though at least one member of this forum seems to back it as it is scientific as its basis and has insinuated that my disagreement with MSH was ignorant and stupid on my part.

Alaska is doing the right thing and maybe WSDFW will learn how to manage a resource from their actions but I doubt it.

Dave
 
wetline dave said:
Dustin I certainly agree with your view on MSH though at least one member of this forum seems to back it as it is scientific as its basis and has insinuated that my disagreement with MSH was ignorant and stupid on my part.

Alaska is doing the right thing and maybe WSDFW will learn how to manage a resource from their actions but I doubt it.

Dave
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I don't think you're stupid Dave. In fact I think you might be on to something. I think Alaska is light years ahead in management of stocks. Not only that you can buy a licence online in Alaska literally while aboard a floatplane, give them your money, and you have a pdf of purchased licence. Here you can buy your licence online and then hope they mail it to you in two or three weeks. Then again Alaska doesn't have a slick app like Washington though.
 
wetline dave said:
Dustin I certainly agree with your view on MSH though at least one member of this forum seems to back it as it is scientific as its basis and has insinuated that my disagreement with MSH was ignorant and stupid on my part.

Alaska is doing the right thing and maybe WSDFW will learn how to manage a resource from their actions but I doubt it.

Dave
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as long as the tribes have the only federal licenses regarding fishing, WDFW refuses to apply for their own, we will never see any relief from gill nets blocking all the streams and rivers in this state killing off EPA listed salmon and steelhead. WDFW is a loser agency with no teeth in any issue you can call forward. the year the halibut season went to two days, i put up my boat for sale, the end. and i have not even thought about steelhead fishing for over a decade now.
 
Well there goes Crab Louie's for Christmas Eve dinner and Crab Bisque for winter dinners.
 
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G_Smolt said:
View attachment 37777
Slick, but needs more functionality. My fish/hunt license is accessible and the Ecopy is field-legal, but the app doesn't display my guide license...still gotta cart around a paper copy of that
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Yeah but that one probably works for the most part. I'm blown away that a state concerned about environment and carbon insists on paper copy.
 
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