This summer’s commercial catch of Dungeness crab in Southeast Alaska looks to be down from last year, even with a strong price paid for the crab.
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s preliminary harvest estimate for the summer harvest is 1.9 million pounds.
A total of 198 permit holders landed crab during the season which runs June 15 through Aug. 15.
Fish and Game’s Assistant crab biologist for the region Kellii Wood said the bulk of the catch came in the early weeks of crabbing.
“It was kinda fast and furious in the beginning and it definitely slowed down near the end of the summer season, probably more so than previous years,” Wood said. “But hopefully it’ll pick up in the fall.”
Last summer the catch was 2.69 million pounds, caught by 195 permit holders.