State fisheries officials are accepting preseason vessel registrations through Sept. 24 for the 2023/2024 season for the Bristol Bay red king crab, Eastern Bering Sea Tanner crab, Western Bering Sea Tanner crab, and Bering Sea snow crab fisheries.
Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) officials said this preseason registration is needed to determine the number of observers who will be needed to meet fishery coverage goals and does not imply a fishery will open during the upcoming season.
Total allowable catches (TAC) are to be announced by ADF&G in early October.
Completed preseason registration forms should be submitted to ADF&G offices in Dutch Harbor or Kodiak via email, fax, or in person. Registrations must be received no later than 5 p.m. on Sept. 24.
Only one preseason registration form is needed for each vessel. A Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission (CFEC) permit card is not required to preseason register. The preseason vessel registration form and lists of vessels preseason registered for each fishery may be accessed online.
For the 2023/2024 crab season, ADF&G has modified the vessel selection plan for the Bristol Bay red king crab, Bering Sea snow, Eastern and Western bairdi Tanner crab fisheries. To ensure observer coverage goals are met, all vessels pre-season registered for these fisheries will be selected for observer coverage. It is the responsibility of the vessel captain to contact Saltwater, Inc. at (907)539-2548 to arrange for observer coverage, to include if you choose not to participate in 2023/2024 fisheries.
