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.