Prince William Sound subsistence fisheries for golden king crab and Tanner crab, for Alaska residents only, will open on Oct. 1 and run through March 31, state fisheries officials announced on Sept. 23.
Prior to fishing, individuals must obtain a 2016-2017 Prince William Sound subsistence crab-fishing permit. Household permits are available at Alaska Department of Fish and Game offices in Cordova, Homer, Soldotna and Anchorage, and by prior appointment from the Alaska Department of Public Safety/Alaska Wildlife Troopers in Valdez, and the Fish House in Seward.
Every participant must possess a permit or be named on the permit of another household member, and that permit must be in possession of the person fishing. The permit catch report must be completed immediately following pot retrieval, ADF&G officials said.
Gear is limited to two pots per person, with no more than two pots per vessel. Each pot must have a keg or buoy attached that is plainly and legibly inscribed with the fisherman’s first initial, last name, home address and the name or the Division of Motor Vehicle boat registration number of the vessel used to operate the pot.
The Tanner crab bag and possession limits are five male Tanner crab, 5/5 inches or greater in carapace width, per person per day.
Only male golden king crab 7 inches or greater in carapace width may be retained and these may be harvested only from Prince William Sound waters west of 147 degrees 20.00’ W. longitude. There is an annual household limit of three golden king crab.
