For the second year in a row, crab fisheries in southwest Alaska are facing steep cuts and closures.
The quota for this year’s Bristol Bay red king crab season is 6.6 million pounds. That's 22 percent less than last year.
The season opens Oct. 15.
Meanwhile, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game has canceled the blue king crab fishery around St. Matthew Island because of low abundance.
The Pribilof District red and blue king crab seasons will also remain closed due to continued low abundance and uncertainty surrounding the accuracy of red king crab estimates.