Sustainability and Harvesting Seasons For Alaska Crab Fisheries

Each year, there are many important dates in the state of Alaska. One of the most important not only for the fishing industry but the state economy is the opening of Alaska's King and Snow Crab seasons. When these crab fisheries open up for the season it's always with fresh data in hand provided by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game stating the quotas and harvest limits for the year. This data is not randomly elected, but is the end product of the work of teams of scientists, biologists, statisticians and politicians in doing the necessary research and calculations to determine what amount of its crab population the natural environment of the icy Alaskan waters can stand to lose. It's not about placing arbitrary restrictions on local crab fisheries, but Alaska's King and Snow Crab seasons are rather about sustainability of not only various species of Alaska crabs, but the ocean floor's delicate ecosystem.

In recent years the number of catchable crabs has been declining, but not by much. This decline reflects the fact that King and Snow crabs are not as plentiful in their natural environment as in past years, however, these species are doing just fine. This slight shift in the numbers is all within the projections for the average harvest amounts over the period of a decade, so there's no need to worry. If the numbers drop dangerously low, teams of researchers are employed to figure out what's going wrong, and how the fisheries or other man-made causes might be contributing to the problem.

All of the care that goes into planning Alaska's King and Snow Crab seasons results in better tasting, fresher, rich and tender white body meat for King and Snow Crabs. Both of these species are prized for their sweet flavor, and their versatility, and are highly sought after in seafood markets, restaurants and grocery stores around the world. While it may seem that limiting the harvest numbers only prevents people from enjoying these delectable seafood varieties, the truth is that such measures are merely preserving these species for generations to come to enjoy. When natural resources like seafood are consumed in a sustainable way, everybody wins; the fisheries, Mother Nature, and of course you, the consumer!

As a seafood lover, look for the best prices around the opening of Alaska's King and Snow Crab seasons. This will generally fall around the months of October and November, and then in January through March for King Crab, while Snow Crabs will be between October to mid-February. These seafood products are generally available fresh or frozen throughout the year however, so keep a lookout at your local seafood market for fresh, wild, favorites from Alaska.

It's up to us to protect the planet. Check out the sustainability tips from the Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute. Alaska's fishermen have a long tradition of effective resource management to ensure that generations to come can enjoy fresh seafood.