Kodiak, Chignik and South Peninsula Tanner crab fisheries stay closed for 2027

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced Nov. 2 that the commercial Tanner crab fisheries in the Kodiak, Chignik and South Peninsula districts will remain closed for the 2027 season. The decision follows the department's review of its 2026 Tanner crab survey results.

Under state rules, a district or section can open only when the estimated number of mature male Tanner crab meets an abundance threshold and the surplus is big enough to support a minimum guideline harvest level. In the Kodiak District, the Southeast, Southwest, Westside and North Mainland sections met their thresholds, but none had enough surplus to reach the 100,000-pound minimum. The rest of the district fell below its thresholds.

The Chignik District met its abundance threshold but could not support the 200,000-pound minimum harvest. In the South Peninsula District, the Eastern Section met its threshold but also fell short of the 200,000-pound minimum, and the Western Section was below its threshold.

Questions about the harvest strategy or survey results can go to ADF&G's Kodiak office at (907) 486-1840.

This is a The Gillnet news desk summary, not a reprint.

Source: Alaska Department of Fish and Game advisory announcement (Nov. 2, 2026).