Southeast Alaska Personal Use King Crab Fishery
Permits & Regulations

The following information outlines State of Alaska personal use king crab regulations for waters of Alaska in the Southeast Area. This is a summary of selected personal use regulations and should be used in conjunction with the current Personal Use Statewide Fisheries Regulations.

This fishery is managed by emergency order, the fishery may not open or may close at any time, or the bag limits and/or gear limits may be reduced at any time. Always check with your local ADF&G office before going crabbing. Get more information on personal use news releases.

Remember that all Shellfish may be exposed to the algae that causes Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning. For more information, see the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning page.

General King Crab Personal Use Fishery Regulations

  • Personal use fishing is defined as the taking, fishing for, or possession of finfish, shellfish or other fishery resources, by Alaskan residents for personal use and not for sale or barter.
  • Personal use fishing regulations require residents to possess a valid sport fishing license except that a sport fishing license is not required for Alaskan residents:
    • under the age of 18,
    • 60 years of age or older and in possession of an ADF&G permanent identification card. The free senior license can be obtained at a local area ADF&G office or on our Alaska Seniors Licenses webpage.
    • certified as a 50% or greater disabled veteran and in possession of their complimentary Disabled Veteran License available on our Alaska Military Licenses webpage.
  • Each personal use fisherman shall plainly and legibly inscribe the fisherman's first initial, last name, home address, and the name or Division of Motor Vehicles boat registration number of the vessel used to operate the gear on the buoy attached to the gear.
  • Other Restrictions
    • It is unlawful to buy, sell, trade, or barter crab or their parts taken under personal use regulations.
    • Contact Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve prior to engaging in the state personal use king crab fishery within Glacier Bay National Park (907) 697-2230.

Daily Bag and Possession Limits

For daily bag and possession limits please see current advisory announcements.

Regulations Specific to Personal Use King Crab Fishery

In the Southeastern Alaska Area, personal use king crab may be taken only as follows:

  • A personal use fishing permit issued by the department is required to take king crab for each household; households may not be issued multiple permits of the same type per year.
  • Separate permits are issued for the regional personal use king crab fishery and for the Section 11-A (PDF 2,549 kB) (waters of the district north and west of a line from a point at 58° 12.33' N. lat., 134° 10' W. long., to the Coast Guard marker and Light on Point Arden) red and blue king crab fishery which has a regulatory allocation plan and distinct summer and winter seasons.
  • A permit holder or a household member listed on the permit must have the permit in possession when fishing.
  • Male red and blue king crab may be taken from July 1 through March 31 and male golden king crab may be taken from July 1 through June 15, unless closed or reduced by Emergency Order. Season dates for the Section 11-A red and blue king crab fishery are specified separately for the summer and winter fishery.
  • Only male king crab with a shell width of 7 inches or wider may be retained.
  • Male king crab less than the minimum legal size and all female king crab that have been taken must be immediately returned to the water unharmed.
  • Gear may not exceed 4 pots or 10 ring nets per vessel, unless reduced by Emergency Order.
  • A pot used to take king crab under this section must have at least two escape rings on opposing vertical or sloping sides of the pot that are not less than six and one-quarter inches inside diameter.
  • All pots used must meet the following gear requirements.
  • Pots must comply with escape mechanism requirements in 5 AAC 39.145.
  • A permit holder shall record fishing activity on the permit Fishing Report prior to leaving the fishing site.
  • A vessel or person on board a vessel commercial fishing for king crab may not operate subsistence or personal use pot gear for shellfish from that vessel until all king crab pots are put in storage (5 AAC 34.052) and the king crab registration has been invalidated.
  • Bag, possession, and pot limits for shellfish allowed under personal use MAY NOT be added to bag, possession, and pot limits under sport or subsistence fishing regulations.
  • A person may not utilize a live holding facility to accumulate or pool multiple bag limits.