Prince William Sound Commissioner’s Permit Tanner Crab Fishery, 2018–2021
Author: Jan Rumble
Publisher:
Published: 2021
Total Pages: 25
ISBN-13:
DOWNLOAD EBOOKThis management report summarizes Tanner crab Chionoecetes bairdi harvest, effort, and location information from the Prince William Sound (Registration Area E) Commissioner’s Permit Tanner crab fishery (CPF) 2018–2021 prosecuted in the Eastern and Western Districts. In 2018, the first year of the CPF, harvest was 83,338 pounds and 47,394 crab by 14 vessels and 3,736 pot lifts; the overall fishery catch per unit effort (CPUE) was 12.7 crab per pot. In 2019, CPF harvest peaked at 124,707 pounds and 74,407 crab by 14 vessels and 4,841 pot lifts; the fishery CPUE was 15.4 crab per pot. The overall CPF effort represented by the number of vessels and pot lifts was highest in 2020 at 22 vessels and 5,885 pot lifts. However, CPF harvest in 2020 decreased to 108,859 pounds, 64,557 crab, and a fishery CPUE of 11.0 crab per pot, which was the lowest CPUE for the fishery. In 2021, the CPF harvest and effort dropped to the lowest levels at 56,351 pounds, 33,803 crab by 10 vessels, and 2,923 pot lifts, but the fishery CPUE of 11.6 crab per pot was higher than in 2020. A Tanner crab test fishery was conducted in the Northern and Hinchinbrook Districts in 2020 and 2021 with defined fishing areas (lots) and a maximum of 5,000 pounds available per lot. In 2020, there were 6 lots available, and in 2021 there were 5 lots available for bid. In 2020, 5 vessels participated and harvested 23,771 pounds and 12,917 crab in 796 pot lifts for an overall CPUE of 16.2 crab per pot. In 2021, 2 vessels participated in the test fishery and harvested 15,910 pounds and 8,368 crab in 552 pot lifts for an overall CPUE of 15.2 crab per pot.