Crab, King – US (kani)
In the U.S., there are three commercial King Crab species – Red, Blue and Golden King Crab – all caught in Alaskan waters.
King Crabs typically mature around 5-7 years of age and can have a leg span of 6 feet. Most King Crab populations are at healthy levels of abundance and not considered overfished. Some populations are closed for fishing, however, to rebuild numbers.
King Crabs are caught using crab pots, which are typically 700 lb steel pots covered with nylon webbing. Although large, they do relatively little damage to the muddy sea floor. New management policies and regional closures have helped mold this ‘derby’ fishery into a well-regulated, efficient and economically stable program.
Bycatch in King Crab fisheries is low, typically consisting of female and undersized male crabs.