A summer commercial fishery for Norton Sound king crab opens on June 15 with a guideline harvest level of over 140,000 pounds.
Under Alaska Board of Fisheries regulations, the area east of 167 degrees west longitude will remain closed to commercial fishing this summer, but is open for subsistence harvests.
Alaska Department of Fish and Game officials reminded harvesters that anyone subsistence crabbing who plans to also fish commercially had to stop subsistence harvests by June 8 and return their subsistence permit to ADF&G before beginning their commercial harvest. Commercial permit holders have to register with ADF&G and get a crab pot tag and have in possession while fishing their permits and a government-issued ID or driver’s license.
Also, due to the novel coronavirus pandemic, fishermen must ensure that all travel and other activities in support of their commercial harvest follow protocols listed in the state’s COVID-19 health mandates, which are online at https://gov.alaska.gov/home/covid19- healthmandates/
