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Shellfish Assessment Annual Eastern Bering Sea Crab Survey

The NOAA Fisheries (NMFS) conducts an annual trawl survey in the eastern Bering Sea (EBS) to determine the distribution and abundance of crab and groundfish resources. Stocks that the NMFS is responsible for assessing are covered by the Fishery Management Plan for Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands King and Tanner Crabs (NPFMC 1998). Crab species of interest include Tanner crab (Chionoecetes bairdi), snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio), two stocks of blue king crab (Paralithodes platypus), red king crab (Paralithodes camtschaticus) and hair crab (Erimacrus isenbeckii). These surveys are conducted in three legs throughout the summer with two vessels dedicated to each leg. The EBS survey is augmented every year by the addition of special projects. The cumulative data collected during each annual survey help fisheries managers regulate commercial crab fishing activities. An annual report is prepared from the data. Executive summaries, charts, and full reports are available below for existing information.

Current status of the Westward Region's commercial crab and shellfish fisheries can be accessed from Alaska Department of Fish and Game Press Releases and from the North Pacific Management Council's BSAI Crab Plan Team SAFE Report.

Note! Final 2008 and 2007 crab reports now available online.

Annual Reports 

Executive Summaries

Condensed Tables & Charts

Full Reports


Commercial Male Distribution Charts (charts by Claire Armistead)

Blue King Crab

Red King Crab

Tanner Crab

Snow Crab

Hair Crab


Annual Bottom Temperatures (charts by Claire Armistead)


Note: The Condensed Tables and Charts and Full Reports categories are PDF documents. The Full Reports in particular may take a long time to download if you use a dial-up connection. See our accessibility information for links to assistive Adobe software.


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