Most Alaska seafood industry value comes from a few large-scale fisheries like pollock, salmon, halibut and cod. Though these fisheries are the logical focus of the Seafood Market Information Service, the electronic format of the market bulletin gives us plenty of room to address smaller scale fisheries of interest. We intend to profile these fisheries in the bulletin, with an eye towards establishing perspective within the Alaska seafood industry and within the marketplace.

The Dungeness crab fishery in Alaska typically produces 5-6 million pounds per year, with total fishery value of approximately $7 million. Most of the harvest (87 percent) is from Southeast Alaska. A total of 214 permits were fished for Dungeness crab in 2005, 191 permits in Southeast Alaska and 23 permits in the Kodiak and Westward areas.

Alaska production plays a minor role in the total North American supply of Dungeness crab, about 6-8 percent. Most production is from fisheries off Washington, Oregon and California. Those stocks are currently at peak levels, with combined production in the 60-80 million pound range in recent years. The BC Canada Dungeness crab fishery typically produces 8-10 million pounds per year. Total North American supply of Dungeness crab in recent years has been in the 85 – 95 million pound range.

Ex-vessel price for Alaska Dungeness crab is relatively low (around $1.20 per pound in 2005), a function of market conditions resulting from record-level harvest in the Washington, Oregon and California fisheries. Market outlook for Alaska Dungeness has potential to improve over the longer term. When harvest in the West coast Dungeness fisheries drops from the current peak to more typical levels price will likely recover, driven to some extent by higher demand resulting from the current peak supply level.