(Prince William Sound) - The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) announced today the season dates and open area for the 2022 Prince William Sound (PWS) Tanner crab sport fishery. This Tanner crab fishery coincides with the opening of the PWS Tanner crab commercial fishery. Per regulation, the sport fishery opens when the Prince William Sound commercial Tanner crab season is open. The sport fishery season will be open in the Northeastern District only (see map below) from 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, March 1 through 11:59 p.m. Thursday, March 31, 2022, with a bag and possession limit of 12 legal male Tanner crabs per person, and a gear limit of two pots per person with a maximum of two pots per vessel. The PWS waters outside the Northeastern District remain closed to sport crabbing.

"This fishery coincides with the subsistence Tanner crab fishery in PWS. Alaska residents that participate in the subsistence fishery and qualify for a subsistence permit would not find any added value to participating in this fishery as the area is limited to the Northeastern District and retention of golden king crab is not permitted," said Area Management Biologist Jay Baumer.

For the Tanner crab sport fishery, permits are only available at ADF&G offices in Anchorage, Homer, Soldotna, Cordova, and Palmer. The subsistence golden king and Tanner crab fishery permit is available online. Individuals are encouraged to obtain only the sport or the subsistence permit, not both. There is no benefit to having both permits because participants may not retain two bag limits.

Each permit holder is responsible for reporting by April 15, 2022, even if the permit holder did not fish. These permits can be mailed to the Anchorage ADF&G office or turned in at the Sport Fish Information Center at the Anchorage office. Accurate reporting is crucial to continue effective management of this fishery and provide a small harvest opportunity each year.

For additional information, please contact Area Management Biologist Jay Baumer at (907) 267-2265.

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