Contact:
Dan Teske
Juneau Area Management Biologist
Phone: (907) 465-8152

Juneau- The Alaska Department of Fish and Game would like to remind anglers that the sport and personal use (PU) shrimp fisheries in Tenakee Inlet that were closed in the fall of 2012 remain closed until further notice. The closed area consists of all marine waters of Tenakee Inlet west of a line extending across the entrance of Tenakee Inlet from South Passage Point to East Point.

Data from the department’s annual shrimp survey indicated that Tenakee Inlet shrimp abundance was at historically low levels. Catch per unit effort (CPUE) in the 2012 survey was the lowest on record. Although catches for the survey completed in the fall of 2013 had shown a slight improvement, the index was still the second lowest observed since the surveys began in 2000. The commercial fishery in Tenakee Inlet has not been opened since 2010. The sport and personal use shrimp fisheries have been closed since October 2012.

The intention of these closures is to allow shrimp abundance to rebound from the current low level. The department will continue annual fall surveys to monitor the Tenakee Inlet shrimp resource, and all Tenakee Inlet shrimp fisheries will remain closed until survey data indicates abundance can sustain future harvests.

The Emergency Orders corresponding with this announcement are EO 1C2213 and 1-SHR-E-27-13.