Kodiak Island Area
Subsistence Fishing

Fishing Information

Fisherman and dog on the beach with a net All Alaska residents have been eligible to participate in subsistence salmon fishing in the Kodiak Management Area since 1990. Permits are required to harvest salmon for subsistence purposes in the management area and are issued by the Division of Commercial Fisheries at the Kodiak office. Each year, the office mails a new permit to every permit holder who returned their permit at the end of previous fishing season. In addition, ADF&G field staff at Karluk and Olga Bay can issue permits upon request.

Other than salmon, the subsistence fisheries in the area include shellfish and halibut. Permits for the subsistence harvest of shellfish are required for king, Tanner and Dungeness crabs in the Kodiak area. Since 2003, a program for subsistence halibut fishing for rural Alaska residents has been managed by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). Eligible, rural Alaska residents are required to obtain a Subsistence Halibut Registration Certificate (SHARC) prior to fishing. There are no annual harvest assessment programs for other subsistence finfish fisheries in the Kodiak Management Area. Other fish species harvested and used by majority of households in large quantities include Pacific cod, various species of flounders, lingcod, halibut, rockfishes and Arctic char/ Dolly Varden.

 

Salmon

Salmon drying All five species of Pacific salmon appear in the Kodiak Management Area. Historically, sockeye salmon has been the most harvested salmon species for subsistence purposes in the Kodiak Management Area followed by Coho and pink salmon. Generally, subsistence salmon fishing is open year-round. Under state regulations, legal gear for subsistence salmon harvest in the Kodiak Management Area includes gillnets and seines. Under Federal regulations, rod and reel are considered legal harvest gear in addition to gillnets and seines. For further information about state subsistence salmon regulations, waters closed for subsistence salmon harvest and gear specifics in the Kodiak Management Area, see subsistence finfish fishery regulations. Information about Federal subsistence fishing regulations is available on the Federal Subsistence Management Program's website federal subsistence laws and regulations.

 

Halibut

Halibut illustration In May 2003, federal regulations for subsistence halibut fishing were finalized and a harvest assessment program was implemented. Eligible, rural Alaska residents are required to obtain a Subsistence Halibut Registration Certificate (SHARC) from the Restricted Access Management Program (RAM) office of National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) Alaska office in Juneau prior to fishing. Contact information for the NMFS Juneau office can be found at http://www.fakr.noaa.gov/ram/subsistence/halibut.htm. Federal halibut subsistence harvest data for communities and tribes in the Kodiak Island Borough area is available to the public in several technical papers produced by the Division of Subsistence. These papers can be accessed through the data and reports tab.

 

Groundfish

Light Dusky Rockfish (Sebastes ciliatus) Marine waters around the Kodiak Management Area support a variety of ground fish species such as Pacific cod, lingcod, and various species of flounders and rockfish. The rockfish species most commonly caught around the Kodiak Management Area include black, dusky and yellow eye. There are some restrictions on subsistence lingcod and rockfish harvest under state and Federal subsistence fishing regulations. For details see subsistence finfish fishery regulations and federal subsistence laws and regulations.

 

Herring

Prior to 1999, the herring subsistence fishery in the Kodiak Management Area under state regulations was referred to as Personal Use/Subsistence and was regulated only during the herring sac roe seasons from April 15th to June 30th under the conditions of the subsistence permit issued in Kodiak. Since 2002, subsistence herring harvest has been included on the existing Kodiak Management Area salmon and crab subsistence permit. Details about state subsistence herring harvest regulations can be found in subsistence finfish fishery regulations. For federal regulation details see federal subsistence laws and regulations.

 

Shellfish

The Kodiak Management Area is rich in marine invertebrates. Subsistence permits are required for the harvest of King, Tanner and Dungeness crabs in the area. State fishing regulations establish sex, size, and bag limits for these species of crabs. Other marine invertebrates used for subsistence purposes in the Kodiak area include for example clams, cockles, mussels, octopus, and sea urchins. For regulation details, see subsistence shellfish fishery regulations.