Southeast Alaska Personal Use Aquatic Plant Harvest
Permits & Regulations

  • Definition: Aquatic plant means any species of plant, excluding the rushes, sedges, and true grasses, growing in a marine aquatic or intertidal habitat; this includes marine algae, also known as seaweeds (AS 16.05.940).
  • Area: The Southeastern Alaska/Yakutat Area consists of all waters of Alaska between Dixon Entrance and Cape Suckling.
  • Applicable Regulations: Outside of the Ketchikan and Juneau nonsubsistence areas described in 5 AAC 99.015 aquatic plants are harvested under noncommercial harvest regulations in 5 AAC 37, and within the nonsubsistence areas are harvested under the personal use regulations in 5 AAC 77.

Noncommercial Harvest Regulations

  • License/Permit Requirements: A valid sport fishing license is required in the Ketchikan and Juneau nonsubsistence areas. A valid sport fishing license is required in these areas unless you are an Alaska resident under 18 years of age or are a resident 60 years of age or older with a permanent sport fishing identification card issued by commissioner (AS 16.05.400). Outside of the nonsubsistence areas, a sportfish license is not required for the noncommercial harvest of aquatic plants. There are no permit requirements for personal use/noncommercial harvest (5AAC 77.010, 77.015 and 37.100).
  • Season: Harvest may occur year-round.
  • Harvest Limits: There are no daily harvest of possession limits EXCEPT in the Ketchikan and Juneau Nonsubsistence Areas (5 AAC 77.679).
    • Ketchikan Nonsubsistence Area (5 AAC 99.015(a)(1)): The Ketchikan Nonsubsistence Area includes: all marine waters of Sections 1-C, as defined by 5 AAC 33.200(a)(3), 1-D, as defined by 5 AAC 33.200(a)(4), 1-E, as defined by 5 AAC 33.200(a)(5), that portion of Section 1-F, as defined by 5 AAC 33.200(a)(6), north of the latitude of the southernmost tip of Mary Island and within one mile of the mainland and the Gravina and Revillagigedo Island shorelines; and that portion of District 2, as defined by 5 AAC 33.200(b), within one mile of the Cleveland Peninsula shoreline and east of the longitude of Niblack Point.
      • Ketchikan Nonsubsistence Area Harvest Limits (5 AAC 77.679): There are no harvest limits, except that along the shoreline adjacent to the Ketchikan road system, the daily harvest and possession limit is 10 gallons of aquatic plants, with no limits to the harvest of aquatic plants that have been naturally dislodged from the substrate.
    • Juneau Nonsubsistence Area (5 AAC 99.015(a)(2)): The Juneau Nonsubsistence Area includes: all marine waters of Sections 11- A and 11-B, as defined in 5 AAC 33.200(k)(1) and (k)(2), Section 12-B, as defined in 5 AAC 33.200(l)(2), and that portion of Section 12-A, as defined in 5 AAC 33.200(l)(1), north of the latitude of Point Marsden and that portion of District 15, as defined in 5 AAC 33.200(o), south of the latitude of the northern entrance to Berners Bay, and including Berners Bay.
      • Juneau Nonsubsistence Area Harvest Limits (5 AAC 77.679): The daily harvest and possession limit is 5 gallons of aquatic plants, except that
        1. the shoreline adjacent to the Juneau road system is closed to the taking of aquatic plants, and;
        2. there is no limit to the harvest of aquatic plants that have been naturally dislodged from the substrate and are located at or above the daily high tide line.
  • Harvest Method: Aquatic plant may only be harvested by hand in the Ketchikan and Juneau nonsubsistence areas (5 AAC 77.682). Macrocystis kelp shall be harvested in a manner that prevents dislodging of the entire plant from the bottom, and prevents straining or breaking the plant; it not be cut at a depth greater than one foot below the surface of the water, and only the upper portion of the plant may be retained; may not be harvested with diving gear; and may not be harvested in areas where herring are spawning (5 AAC 37.300).
  • Harvest Use: Aquatic plants harvested may be used for any noncommercial purposes. It is unlawful to buy, sell, trade or barter fish or their parts taken under personal use regulations in 5 AAC 77 (5 AAC 77.010).

Commercial Harvest Regulations

  • Permits: A permit is required. A processor, buyer, harvester of aquatic plants, aquatic plant farmer operating under a permit authorized by AS 16.40.100 , or a person intending to collect and supply wild stock to such an aquatic farm must obtain a harvest permit issued by the commissioner, or the commissioner's authorized representative, before operating (5 AAC 37.100).
    • Permit Restrictions: Provisions of the permit must include:
      1. the area of operation shall be restricted to one or more fishing districts;
      2. species to be harvested;
      3. method of harvest shall be restricted to mechanical cutting or handpicking;
      4. plants shall be removed from the water at the time of harvesting;
      5. aquatic plants where used as a substrate for herring spawn may be harvested only as otherwise provided in this title.

Call your local ADF&G office to inquire about obtaining a Commissioner's Permit for wild aquatic plant harvest.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there different regulations for different communities?

There are no limitations on noncommercial harvesting around most Southeast Alaska and Yakutat communities, but there are limitations on how much you can harvest in the nonsubsistence areas around Ketchikan and Juneau.

Are there regulations based on species?

No, except for Marcocystis described above.

Do people need to get a permit to collect aquatic plants?

There is no permit required for noncommercial or personal use harvest, BUT a person does need to have a valid resident sport fishing license or be an Alaskan resident exempt from licensing (typically this for residents under 16 and those residents 60 and older than have obtained a permanent hunting and fishing license) to harvest in the Ketchikan and Juneau nonsubsistence areas.

What about aquatic plants like beach asparagus?

No limitations except in the Ketchikan and Juneau nonsubsistence areas. For more information, check out the Alaska Fish & Wildlife News article: Harvesting Seaweed in Alaska

Documents