Commercial Fishing Reporting
Commercial Operator's Annual Reports (COAR)
By regulation, the COAR report is due by April 1, 2019 to ADF&G. Please have the COAR report postmarked by Monday April 2nd to avoid disruptions to your fishing operations. If you have any questions please call 907-465-6131 or email dfg.seafood-coord@alaska.gov.
About the COAR Report
The first buyer of raw fish, persons who catch and process fish, and persons who catch and have fish processed by another business are required to file an annual report of their purchasing and processing activities. This report is called the Commercial Operator's Annual Report (COAR) and is due by April 1 of the following year. The National Marine Fisheries Service also requires COAR reports from processing vessels operating in federal waters of the Exclusive Economic Zone.
The COAR reports contain data on seafood purchasing, production, and both exvessel and wholesale values of seafood products. The buying information from COAR is reported by species, area of purchase, condition of fisheries resources at the time of purchase, type of gear used in the harvest, pounds purchased, and exvessel value. The exvessel value in COAR includes any post-season adjustments or bonuses paid after the fish was purchased.
The production information from COAR is reported by species, area of processing, process type (frozen, canned, smoked, etc.), product type (fillets, surimi, sections, etc.), net weight of the processed product, and the first wholesale value.
COAR data can be compiled by ADF&G to meet specific requests. If you are interested in obtaining COAR data please contact the Seafood Industry Coordinator at dfg.seafood-coord@alaska.gov or (907) 465-6131.
Summarized COAR Data
- Statewide COAR Buying by Species
- Statewide COAR Production by Species
- Statewide COAR Production by Area
- COAR Production by Permit Type
- Statewide Salmon COAR Production
- Statewide Crab COAR Production
- Statewide Halibut COAR Production
- Statewide Herring COAR Production
- Statewide Sablefish COAR Production
- Statewide Shrimp COAR Production
Important Notice
ADF&G will now be accepting the report information in an Excel document. You must use the Excel COAR Blank Template (Excel file 26 kB). You can use a different Excel document initially, but all data must be copied and pasted into this Excel document. Please do not use any formulas in the final version that will be submitted to ADF&G. The excel document can be emailed directly to dfg.seafood-coord@alaska.gov The Certification Page still needs to be submitted to ADF&G along with the Excel file.
COAR Form
- Codes for the Commercial Operator's Annual Report (PDF 614 kB)
- Complete COAR Form
- PDF file (2018) (PDF 744 kB)
- Fillable Word Document (2018) (Word doc 243 kB)
- COAR Forms by Section
- Certification Page, Instructions and Codes (2018) (Word doc 149 kB) Required by all
- Salmon Buying and Production (2018) (Word doc 152 kB) — Forms A(1-3) and B(1-6)
- Herring Buying and Production (2018) (Word doc 73 kB) — Forms C(1-2) and D
- Crab Buying and Production (2018) (Word doc 63 kB) — Forms E and F
- Shrimp/Misc. Shellfish/Finfish Buying and Production (2018) (Word doc 67 kB) — Forms G and H
- Groundfish Buying and Production (2018) (Word doc 89 kB) — Forms I(1-2) and J(1-2)
- Halibut Buying and Production (2018) (Word doc 45 kB) — Form K
- Custom Production (2018) (Word doc 53 kB) — Forms L(1-2)
- Fish Buying Retro Payments/Postseason Adjustments (2018) (Word doc 57 kB) — Forms M(1-2)
- COAR FAQs
- COAR Example (PDF 366 kB)
Area of Harvest for COAR Buying Forms
On the buying portion of the COAR use the statistical area of harvest for shore based facilities and at-sea operations. See below for an Excel translation table and area specific maps detailing COAR area of harvest based on ADF&G statistical areas.
- COAR Areas Based on ADF&G Statistical Areas (Excel file 367 kB)
- Kuskokwim, Kotzebue, Yukon and Norton Sound (PDF 1,227 kB)
- Prince William Sound, Cook Inlet, and Bristol Bay (PDF 1,437 kB)
- Dutch Harbor, Bering Sea, and Adak/Western Aleutians (PDF 711 kB)
- Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska Federal Waters (EEZ) (PDF 786 kB)
- Kodiak, Chignik, and Alaska Peninsula (PDF 1,252 kB)
- Southeast Alaska (PDF 2,037 kB)
Area of Processing for the COAR Production Forms
On the production section of the COAR use the COAR area of processing that corresponds to the port of processing. If unsure of a port's COAR area of processing, use the translation table and map below. The at-sea fleet will used the area of harvest corresponding to the statistical area of harvest in lieu of the port-based area of processing (as they do not deliver to a port).
- COAR Areas Based on Alaska Ports (PDF 995 kB)
- COAR Production Area of Processing to Port Translation Table (Excel file 23 kB)
Additional Information on Electronic COAR
- User Documentation and Instructions (PDF 1,775 kB)
COAR FAQs
- What is the Commercial Operator�s Annual Report (COAR)?
The COAR is a report that collects harvest and production information broken out by specific criteria such as gear type, area, delivery and product type, and pounds and value.
- Who has to file a Commercial Operators Annual Report (COAR)?
Any person or company who received a Fisheries Business License from the Department of Revenue and an Intent to Operate Permit by ADF&G. All Domestic Motherships or Catcher Processors with a current federal permit issued from NMFS. Also any person or company who receives an Exclusive Economic Zone only (EEZ Only) permit from ADF&G. Any first purchaser or processor of a fishery resource harvested in Alaska state waters or the surrounding Federal waters, as required by NMFS. A COAR must be filed if a license was issued, even if there was no activity under that license.
- When is the COAR due?
The COAR is due by April 1 of the year following any buying or processing activity.
- Why do I have to submit a COAR?
COAR information is used to calculate the exvessel values and first wholesale values. The information collected from the COAR is used worldwide by various types of requestors.
- If I sell the same product for 2 different average prices per pound should I enter them as 2 separate lines on the COAR?
NO. Combine the 2 sale prices for the average price per pound for the entire defined product.
- Should I separate out product sold in Alaska vs exported product?
No. Only separate by the codes specified on the form.
- General Guidelines:
Combine all information that the COAR is asking for. Do not separate out information unless the COAR asks you to do so. Do not separate by date landed. If you are unsure how to complete the COAR please contact the Seafood industry Coordinator at dfg.seafood-coord@alaska.gov or (907) 465-6131. We are always happy to help.