Bering Sea Fisheries Research Foundation
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Science & Research

BSFRF research projects are reviewed and approved by the Board of Directors to improve scientific understanding of Bering Sea crab resources. Peruse the projects below to learn about our research.

 

Collaborative Pot Sampling

Tagging Studies

Past and Ongoing Research

The latest from Instagram

Last week, the North Pacific Fishery Management Co Last week, the North Pacific Fishery Management Council's Crab Plan Team met to review assessment details and current research meant to provide management advice for Bering Sea crab fisheries. But what kind of data are they looking at? Fisheries management considers information from multiple data sources.Over the coming weeks, we'll dive deeper into each of these data types and show how collaborative research between BSFRF, NOAA, and industry partners informs sustainable crab management in the Bering Sea. 🦀Follow along to learn more about the building blocks of science-based fisheries management!#crabscience #fisheriesresearch #beringseacrab #SustainableFisheries #marinescience #collaborativeresearch #BSFRF #alaskafisheries #data
Summary: BSFRF is seeking to charter two vessels t Summary:BSFRF is seeking to charter two vessels to complete a third, seasonal, high-priority, Bering Sea crab research project focused on Bristol Bay red king crab (BBRKC). The research will be conducted on board two Bering Sea crab vessels using commercial king crab pots to complete sampling over the primary BBRKC grounds to improve the understanding of seasonal crab distribution. The research is part of ongoing collaborative crab research between BSFRF, NOAA, and ADFG.Open Period:January 7, 2026, through January 21, 2026 (23:59 pm Pacific Standard Time)Expected Charter Start Date:March 12-13, 2026Charter Term:22-25 days, charter begins on departure day and ends on return day, total term may changePlease see the full RFP on our website for charter requirements and study details for CPS3! #crabresearch #beringseacrab #alaskancrab #fieldworkresearch @alaskacrabbers @adfg.crab.research @noaafisheries
Two BSFRF field projects funded by disaster relief Two BSFRF field projects funded by disaster relief, focusing on red king crab in the spring and snow crab in the summer, are planned for 2026.For those interested in getting involved, visit our website, bsfrf.org, for information about the upcoming request for proposals (RFP).The first project RFP, focusing on Bristol Bay red king crab, will be released on January 7th, 2026.If you have any questions, please contact us on our website bsfrf.org#beringsearesearch #alaskacrab @alaskacrabbers
'Tis the season to be crabby! 🦀✨ Wishing you warm 'Tis the season to be crabby! 🦀✨Wishing you warm holidays from all of us at BSFRF. We're grateful for another year of collaborative research in the Bering Sea and looking forward to what 2026 brings.See you in the new year!#HappyHolidays #CrabResearch #BSFRF #BeringSea #beringseacrab @alaskacrabbers @adfg.crab.research @noaafisheriesalaska @noaafisheries
How do you tag a king crab? Tagging helps us trac How do you tag a king crab?Tagging helps us track seasonal movement patterns, growth rates, and habitat use, and BSFRF has been working with NOAA Fisheries to tag red king crab since 201,9 using several tag types depending on the research question:Floy tags (pink spaghetti tags) have unique IDs. When fishers catch a tagged crab, they report the tag number and location, providing long-term movement and growth data.Acoustic tags (gray cylindrical) emit ultrasonic signals detected by underwater receivers, tracking fine-scale movements without recapture. These tags have a 1-3 year battery life. In previous years, we've used Saildrones to listen for them across Bristol Bay.Satellite tags (crab in harness) pop off at a pre-programmed date and transmit data via satellite. Because crabs are benthic, we don't get real-time tracking, like you would when a whale surfaces. Instead, we only collect release and pop-up locations, plus temperature data collected along the way. Staggered release times provide insights into movement patterns at different times of year. The harness prevents molting, likely killing the crab. This is an unfortunate trade-off, but the information we collect is invaluable for informing the science required for robust management. Floy and acoustic tags are inserted through the abductor muscle (which holds the shell in place), so they're retained even when red king crab molt, which they do throughout their lives.Every tagged crab represents a vital data point that informs our understanding of red king crab distribution and supports North Pacific fishery management.📸: M. Heller-Shipley#redkingcrab #crabtagging #beringsea #alaskafisheries #crabresearch #fisheriesscience #seasonalmovement #bsfrf
Winter fashion in the Bering Sea🎩❄️ This female Ta Winter fashion in the Bering Sea🎩❄️This female Tanner crab (Chionoecetes bairdi) was caught rocking a sea anemone hat during our survey work.Turns out epibiotic relationships can be both fascinating and fashionable!📸: M. Heller-Shipley#tannercrab #beringsea #bsfrf #crabfashion #crabresearch
These juvenile snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio) sta These juvenile snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio) start their lives smaller than your pinky nail (<5 mm) and grow to reach sizes of about 6 inches (150 mm) for males and 3 inches (75 mm) for females. The size variation here shows early growth stages (instars) as the crabs molt and grow. Monitoring these early life stages is essential for tracking the population of this economically important fishery.📸: M. Heller-Shipley#snowcrab #beringsea #crabresearch #bsfrf #marinescience #alaskafisheries
The BSFRF had a very productive 2024! Pictured her The BSFRF had a very productive 2024! Pictured here are some of our highlights from the year. Aside from the two field surveys, two conferences, and the snow crab workshop listed above, we also had the pleasure of attending the World Fisheries Conference. There, BSFRF members Scott Goodman, Madison Heller-Shipley, and Cory Lescher were featured presenters, speaking on the status of crab, modeling methods to inform management, and the establishment of skipper surveys in the Eastern Bering Sea crab fleets. We’re grateful for all the hard work from our cooperative research partners @adfg.crab.research @noaafisheries and the continued insights and productive discussions with the crab industry. Also, thanks to @c.lescher.7 for the awesome photos! If you want to know more about our surveys, you can check out our report from CPS 1 in 2023, linked in our profile. Our CPS 2 report is soon to come....#crab #crabbing #beringsea #marinebiology #oceans #crabfluencer
🌊 Exciting News from BSFRF! 🌊 We are thrilled to 🌊 Exciting News from BSFRF! 🌊We are thrilled to announce that BSFRF is now active on Instagram! Follow us for the latest updates on our research and fieldwork adventures as we strive to improve our understanding of commercial crab species dynamics in the Bering Sea. 🦀🎉 Recent Fieldwork Update 🎉This April, we wrapped up the second year of our Collaborative Pot Sampling, CPS2! The BSFRF conducted this ambitious research with NMFS, ADF&G, and industry partners. Our team worked tirelessly aboard the F/V Vesteraalen, F/V Seabrooke, and F/V Arctic Lady, gathering critical information on red king crab to help us better understand this iconic species' late winter/early spring distribution!Stay tuned for more insights, behind-the-scenes moments, and the hard work that goes into crab research on the Bering Sea. 🌊Also, big thanks to @c.lescher.7 and our science team for providing us with some beautiful photos! #BSFRF #Research #Fieldwork #CommercialCrabs #BeringSea #Science #StayTuned@noaafisheriesalaska @adfg.crab.research
F/V Sunset Bay after the April 2016 crab collectio F/V Sunset Bay after the April 2016 crab collection charter for our chionoecetes growth study
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