On the issue of optimizing snow crab fishing in the Gulf of Shelikhov, the Sea of Okhotsk

Abstract

Existance of commercial snow crab aggregations for target fishing has been discovered in the Gulf of Shelikhov, the Sea of Okhotsk, based on the survey data for 2014 and 2021–2022. Sites of higher densities of snow crab have been figured. Analysis of sex ratio and size composition of the catches was made, and the catch values per an fishing effort and stock abundance of commercial males were estimated. In order to involve mentioned snow crab stock of the Gulf of Shelikhov, a ban for the fishing of snow crab has been recommended in the West Kamchatka subzone southward from 59°15´ N.