2004 Alaska Fisheries Stock Assessment and Fishery Evaluation Report for the King and Tanner Crab in the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands

June 11, 2004

The annual stock assessment and fishery evaluation (SAFE) report is a requirement of the North Pacific Fishery Management Council's Fishery Management Plan for Bering Sea/Aleutian Islands King and Tanner Crabs (FMP), and a federal requirement [50 CFR Section 602.12(e)]. The SAFE summarizes the current biological and economic status of fisheries, guideline harvest levels (GHL), and analytical information used for management decisions or changes in harvest strategies. The report is assembled by the crab plan team with contributions from the State of Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), and is available to the public and presented to the Council on an annual basis.