Where is the pollock? Where is the king crabP

摘要

Derby days: It's like the derby days all over again here in Unalaska. Only a week after the season opener, at least a few of the 55 boats participating in this year's Bristol Bay red king crab fishery wrapped up and headed home. That's mostly becausethere were only a few crab for them to harvest: The Alaska Department of Fish and Game nearly halved the total allowable catch, setting it at 7.8 million pounds. This should be the smallest red king crab harvest since Bristol Bay was closed in the mid-1990s. In addition to being lightning fast, fishing has also been lucrative. The advance price was set at $9 per pound, well over last year's record-setting final price of $7.42. That number is definitely expected to climb. According to wholesaler Rob George, ex-vessel prices should hit $11 by the end of the season. Crab is even goingfor $20 in Japan, because of the strength of the yen and a lack of inventory after March's tsunami.