In Alaska, protecting the future of both the stocks and environment takes priority over opportunities for commercial harvest. State and federal agencies collaborate to determine each year’s harvest limits, and monitor the season in real-time to determine when these limits have been met. Additional measures, such as the catch share programs and a stringent on-board observer program ensure sustainably harvested wild Alaska snow crab will be available for generations to come.
The snow crab harvest is limited by the “three s’s” — size, sex and season. Only males with a carapace length that is dependent on population specific life-history traits can be caught, and harvest is not permitted during mating and molting.
The Alaska snow crab fishery is certified by an independent standard for sustainable fisheries, Alaska Responsible Fisheries Management (RFM).