ADFG Announces Southeast Alaska (Section 13-B) Sport, Subsistence Shrimp Fishing Closure

The following press release is courtesy of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game:

SECTIONS 13-B AND 13-C SUBSISTENCE AND SPORT SHRIMP FISHERIES CLOSURE

Subsistence and sport shrimp fisheries in the West Crawfish Inlet and Crawfish Inlet portion of Section 13-B will be closed north and east of a line from 56°46.77? N. lat., 135°16.83? W. long. to 56°41.14? N. lat., 135°13.75? W. long., from 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, January 1, through 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, December 31, 2025 (Figure 1).

Subsistence and sport shrimp fisheries in the Hoonah Sound portion of Section 13-C will remain closed north and west of a line from 57°35.07? N. lat., 135°33.57? W. long. to 57°37.89? N. lat., 135°28.65? W. long., from 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, January 1, through 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, December 31, 2025 (Figure 2).

Catch per unit effort data from both the commercial and subsistence fisheries in Crawfish Inlet and West Crawfish Inlet indicate declining spot shrimp stock health. The intention of this closure is to allow spot shrimp abundance to rebuild to levels that would allow sustainable harvest.

The Section 13-C spot shrimp survey has been conducted annually by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game from 1999 through 2014 and from 2017 through 2024. From 1999–2014, the spot shrimp population in Hoonah Sound was considered healthy and relatively stable based on survey data and commercial fishing harvests. Beginning in 2015, commercial spot shrimp harvest data indicated declining stock health. Spot shrimp surveys conducted in Hoonah Sound from 2017–2022 showed a decline in catch rates (lb/pot) of younger, small spot shrimp. Surveys conducted in 2023 and 2024 indicate a small increase in catch rates of small spot shrimp in Hoonah Sound, while the catch rates of large spot shrimp have remained consistently high over the past five years. Analysis of size distribution data since 2022 reveals a balanced composition of shrimp class sizes, suggesting continued recovery of the Hoonah Sound spot shrimp stock. Survey results through 2024 suggest an improved stock status for Hoonah Sound spot shrimp, potentially supporting limited subsistence fishing opportunities. Any opening in the subsistence fishery would not occur until May and would be announced in the spring of 2025.

The subsistence and sport shrimp fisheries have been closed in Hoonah Sound since March of 2020. While recent surveys indicate the potential for limited subsistence opportunity, reopening the commercial pot shrimp fishery in Section 13-C for the 2025/26 season is not warranted at this time.

The emergency orders corresponding with this advisory announcement are EOs 1C0525 and 1-SHR-D-02-25.