The Red King Crab Building Better Communities

The Red King Crab
that’s
Building Better Communities
Norton Sound Seafood Products: A different kind of seafood company that’s
working for the fishermen and residents of remote western Alaska.
Of all the reasons to choose Norton Sound Red King Crab, there’s one
simple factor that rises above all the rest—our crab tastes amazing!
A little bit smaller, but a whole lot sweeter, Norton Sound Red King
Crab truly stands out from other king crab offerings.
But taste and quality are just the start of why customers can feel
satisfied with their purchase of Norton Sound Red King Crab.
Supporting Norton Sound Seafood Products buoys much more than
just a seafood company …
Norton Sound Red King Crab
‑ NortonSoundSeafood.com -
People
as our top Priority
A mission that puts
Norton Sound is
unique among Alaska’s
red king crab fisheries.
Norton Sound resident fishermen won a hardfought battle in the 1990s to reclaim their fishery
from outsiders on bigger vessels—a group who
largely kept the locals out of the market.
The regulations that came from this victory
made Norton Sound a super-exclusive fishery
and has led to one of the most sustainable and
stable crab populations in Alaska. It has also
meant that fishermen living along the Norton
Sound coast have been able to earn a better
living by harvesting the renewable resources
right outside their door.
NSSP processor Adrian Daniels shows off one of the day’s
catch of Norton Sound Red King Crab.
Norton Sound Seafood Products (NSSP) is a different kind of fishing company. As part of
the Community Development Quota program, NSSP and its parent company, Norton Sound
Economic Development Corporation (NSEDC), are charged with improving the economies
and living conditions in the Norton Sound region, largely through fisheries.
We are a fishing company in service to our fishermen and region. We strive to find the best
market and prices for our residents’ catch while also providing a number of services, such
as assistance for gaining access to vessels, permits and gear. NSEDC and NSSP also provide
significant employment opportunities as well as scientific research and projects to ensure our
fisheries remain healthy.
Additionally, NSEDC provides millions of dollars annually for scholarships and training,
infrastructure development, small business support, youth programs, grants, and a number
of other initiatives. Find out more at www.nsedc.com.
Norton Sound Seafood Products
NortonSoundSeafood.com • 907.443.2304 • [email protected]
Small Boats
that make a
Big Difference
Harvested from the northernmost crab fishery in the
nation, Norton Sound Red King Crab literally stands out
on top of the many shellfish offerings on the market.
But it’s more than just geography that puts Norton
Sound Red King Crab at the top of the list when it
comes to sourcing seafood for your customers.
A number of factors combine to give Norton Sound Red
King Crab its excellent taste, texture and quality. The
first is nature. The cold, clean waters just south of the
Arctic Circle in Norton Sound produce a red king crab
that is somewhat smaller, but distinctively sweeter than
crab harvested to the south. Norton Sound Red King
Crab also boasts tender meat, lacking the fibrous texture
that is often found with oversized crab.
Crab fisherman Howard Farley Jr. readies for a trip on
The artisanal scale of our fishery plays a big role in the
his vessel, the Juliana III. NSSP’s David Walluk loads the
small boat, which is typical of the Norton Sound fleet.
quality of Norton Sound Red King Crab. The fishery is
limited to small boats that are operated by year-round
residents. This limits individual harvests to smaller quantities and short trips. Norton Sound Red
King Crab don’t spend excessive time in the fish hold; their trip to the seafood plant is measured in
hours, not days.
Being a small-boat fishery also makes a big difference on the processing side of the Norton Sound
Red King Crab fishery. A steady stream of small deliveries to the Norton Sound Seafood Products
plant in Nome means we can immediately process deliveries as they arrive. Our modern seafood
plant makes sure that quality is maintained from the loading dock straight through to the freezer.
The very nature of the Norton Sound Red King Crab fishery means our customers receive a product
that truly tops other crab in terms of quality, taste, texture, timing…and even geography! We start
with an amazing product and give it the care and attention it deserves.
Norton Sound Red King Crab
‑ NortonSoundSeafood.com -
A Summer Exclusive
and a
Winter Fishery
like no other
You wouldn’t serve last year’s fish to your
Nome crabber Adem Boeckmann loads his catch during the Norton
customers; why offer them last winter’s crab?
Sound winter through-the-ice fishery.
Norton Sound Red King Crab is the only Alaska
king crab to be harvested in the summer. Our crab is an exclusive offering and the freshest Alaska
king crab you will find following the summer and going into the holiday season.
Norton Sound Red King Crab also has a limited winter harvest season. In one of the most unique
fisheries in the world, our fishermen will harvest king crab by cutting holes in the sea ice that extends from the shore. Norton Sound Red King Crab from the winter fishery is exclusively sold live.
By the Numbers — Size and Weight
Despite the regulatory minimum size of 4 ¾” measured across the carapace, Norton Sound Seafood
Products sets a minimum purchase size of 5” for our fishermen. The average weight of a 5” Norton
Sound Red King Crab is 2.97 lbs (1.35 kg). This higher standard helps ensure the sustainability of the
crab population while also producing a product that is sized according to consumers’ expectations.
The majority of Norton Sound Red King Crab has been processed in sections. Section weight averages at 440 grams. A standard 20-pound box of our Fancy-Grade Norton Sound Red King Crab
will contain 18 to 22 sections. We are equipped to pack 20- and 40-pound cases.
Product Forms
Sections: Our crab is cooked, cooled in steps and brine frozen within hours of being harvested.
We have fine-tuned this process to minimize salt intake, eliminate blueing over reasonable storage
time and deliver a product that stands out in terms of taste, texture and quality.
Whole-cooked: Norton Sound Red King Crab can also be purchased as whole-cooked crab, both
fresh and frozen. Norton Sound Seafood Products also offers fresh sections. Due to increased processing time, whole-cooked crab are available in limited quantities.
Live: Our winter-harvested crab is sold exclusively live. NSSP also has the capability to supply limited live orders during the Norton Sound summer fishery.
Norton Sound Seafood Products
NortonSoundSeafood.com • 907.443.2304 • [email protected]