According to CNN, due to the sharp decline in the number of snow crabs, Alaska recently announced the cancellation of this year's snow crab fishing.
It is understood that this is the first time ever. Announcing the decision last week, the Alaska Fisheries Commission and the North Pacific Fisheries Management Council said the current number of snow crabs is below the threshold for open fishing.
For the first time ever, Alaska canceled snow crab fishing.
Benjamin Daly, a researcher with the Alaska Bureau of Fish and Games, said there are even more shocking numbers behind Alaska's decision: Alaskan snow crab populations plummeted from 8 billion in 2018 to 1 billion in 2021.
"Snow crabs are currently the most commercially caught of all Bering Strait crabs," Daly said. "So the disappearance of billions of snow crabs is noteworthy."
Mark Stichert, coordinator of the Alaska Fish and Game Bureau's management of benthic fish and shellfish fisheries, said the male snow crab population decreased by about 40 percent based on surveys between 2021 and 2022. Last year's snow crab harvest was 5.6 million pounds, the lowest in more than 40 years. There are about 45 million pounds of snow crabs left in the entire Bering Strait.
"That's a very staggering number. Snow crabs are caught in numbers that exceed their natural turnover rate. Stichel stressed.
Some believe that overfishing is a factor in the sharp decline of snow crab populations, while others believe that climate warming is the root cause.
However, some scientists believe that "overfishing" does not explain why the Bering Sea snow crab population has collapsed. They argue that "overfishing" is only a technical definition when protective measures are triggered.
"We call it overfishing because of the level of numbers, but that's not the cause of the collapse of numbers." Michael Litzov, director of the Kodiak Laboratory under the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said in an interview with CNN.
Litsov believes that the warming caused by human activities is an important factor in the disappearance of crabs. Because snow crabs are a cold-water species, the vast majority live in areas where the water temperature is below 2°C. As sea temperatures rise and sea ice disappears, the waters around Alaska are becoming unfit for this crab.
"Several studies have looked at specific temperatures in the Bering Sea and its ice sheets in 2018, and they have concluded that temperature changes and less ice in the Bering Sea region are the result of global warming." Litsov said.
Scientists have long pointed out that temperatures near the North Pole are warming four times faster than the rest of the planet. A warming climate is causing the rapid loss of sea ice in the Arctic, particularly the Bering Sea near Alaska, which in turn amplifies global warming.
Ethan Nichols, a biologist at the Alaska Fish and Game Service who assists with area management, said, "Stopping fishing activities and continuing research is the first effort to restore the amount of fisheries resources today." ”
But waiting for juvenile snow crabs to mature and re-help the population regenerate will take at least three to four years. "This is truly an unprecedented and troubling time for Alaska's iconic crab fishery and the hard-working fishermen and communities that depend on them." said Jamie Goen, executive director of the Alaska Bering Sea Crab Association, a trade association.
"It's just a glimmer of optimism. Every year the climate warms a little, and Arctic and high-latitude ecosystems are more variable. So if there is a cooler period, it may be good news for snow crabs. Litsov said.
In addition, the Alaska Department of Fisheries also announced that the red king crab in Bristol Bay will also be suspended for the second consecutive year this year. Fisheries officials say in the Bering Sea, Alaskan pollock, snow crabs and Pacific halibut have generally moved away from shore since the early '80s, moving an average of 19 miles north.
Red king crab fishing will also be suspended for the second consecutive year this year.
In fact, not only at high latitudes, but also in global wildlife populations have changed significantly over the decades. On October 14, WWF released its Living Planet Report 2022, which states that wildlife populations including mammals, birds, amphibians, reptiles and fish within the scope of monitoring have declined by an average of 69% since 1970. From 1970 to 2018, wildlife populations within the monitored area of Latin America and the Caribbean declined by an average of 94%, the most severe. In addition, among all monitored species, freshwater species declined by an average of 83 per cent, the largest decline. Habitat loss and obstruction of migration routes are major threats to migratory fish species.
Worldwide, the main factors contributing to wildlife population declines are habitat degradation, exploitation, invasive alien species, pollution, climate change and disease, according to the report. The Report stresses that the current natural ecology is facing serious challenges, and it is urgent to take transformative actions to reverse the degradation of biodiversity.