It could be overfishing. That's what it was with Cod. The thing is depending on the stock assessment model used for Alaskan Crab, the data fed into said model (

It could be overfishing. That's what it was with Cod. The thing is depending on the stock assessment model used for Alaskan Crab, the data fed into said model (surveys, fishery catch etc.) they could have been over estimating abundance and setting too high quotas for years until poof there's no more.