Tail End of Big Crab Cohort Prompts Lower GHL for Kodiak Tanner Crab Fishery
Alaska Department of Fish and Game biologists have set a guideline harvest of 560,000 Tanner crab for the 2025 season, down significantly from 2024.
Based on 2024 Kodiak District survey results, the Eastside and Southeast sections exceeded regulatory thresholds necessary for a 2025 commercial Tanner crab season, agency officials said.
The Kodiak District commercial Tanner crab season is scheduled to open at noon on Jan.15, unless delayed by inclement weather. Since the guideline harvest level is less than 5,000,000 pounds, the regulatory pot limit is 20 pots per vessel.
The Chignik District is to remain closed for the 2025 season. ADF&G said that abundance must be sufficient to provide for a minimum GHL of 200,000 pounds before a commercial Tanner crab fishery may occur. and that based on 2024 survey results, the Chignik District was below the regulatory abundance threshold and must therefore remain closed.
The eastern side of the South Peninsula was given a guideline harvest level of 210,000 pounds and also opens at noon on Jan 15 unless delayed by weather. Vessels greater in overall length than 58 feet may not participate in the South Peninsula District commercial Tanner crab fishery.
All Tanner crab fisheries are to be monitored in-season and district/section or subdistrict/subsection closures may occur before the GHLs are fully harvested based on fishery performance and harvest distribution, state fisheries officials said.
