Southeast Alaska commercial Dungeness fall season runs Oct. 1–31

Southeast Alaska’s commercial Dungeness fall season is a 30-day opening. An Alaska Department of Fish and Game advisory announcement says all waters open to the fishery in Registration Area A opened at 8:00 a.m. Thursday, Oct. 1, 2026, and close at 11:59 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31. The release is dated Aug. 7; the season dates are the October window now underway.

Soft-shell sampling from the first week of the summer season found legal-size male discards above the previous three-year average. That share was not enough to miss the 2.25 million pound harvest projection in the Southeastern Alaska Dungeness Crab Management Plan. Under 5 AAC 32.146(2)(B), the fall season is therefore 30 days. The emergency order is EO 1C5626. Contact on the announcement is Region I shellfish biologist Joe Stratman, (907) 772-5238.

Closed waters are in 5 AAC 32.150, including Shinaku Inlet, Whale Pass, and Natzuhini Bay. Glacier Bay is closed to commercial Dungeness by federal rule. The Annette Islands Reserve is managed by the Metlakatla Indian Community. European green crab, first found in Southeast Alaska in 2022, have spread around Revillagigedo, Gravina, Prince of Wales, the Cleveland Peninsula, and as far north as southern Etolin Island. Report suspect crabs to the department.

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

Source: ADF&G — 2026/27 Southeast Alaska commercial Dungeness crab fall/winter fishery (PDF) (advisory announcement, Aug. 7, 2026; season Oct. 1–31).