"King Crab"

In 55 years, there have been just two other closures: once in the 1980s and again in the 1990s.

Pollock’s apparent triumph had Alaskans questioning the integrity of the election.

Last we checked, king crab was narrowly ahead of three other Alaska seafoods in the Division of Elections’ mock primary.

Throughout Alaska’s waters, shellfish populations have been in decline for decades — decimated by overfishing in the 1980s and by changing ocean environments in the years since.

The fall harvest is down slightly from recent years, but the summer harvest was so large — 5.87 million pounds — that it still makes the total season the second largest ever.

Ortiz — who represents Wrangell, Ketchikan, Metlakatla and the southern half of Prince of Wales Island — has consistently backed mariculture as an area for economic growth in the state.

Kachemak Bay was once abundant with crab, shrimp and other shellfish species. But by the early 1990s, populations hit rock bottom. A scientist and a college student are hoping to find out what happened.

Commercial crabbers in Southeast Alaska will have some opportunity to fish in offshore waters for king and Tanner crab fishing following decisions by Alaska’s Board of Fisheries in January.

Southeast Alaska will open to commercial fishing for red king crab this fall for the first time in six years. The crab population has seen a steady increase, according to state surveys.

The fall red and blue king crab fishery has been opened only twice in the past decade, in 2005 and 2011. The numbers are still at historically low levels.