Juneau…The Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced today that the sport and personal use shrimp fisheries in Tenakee Inlet will 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 indicates that Tenakee Inlet shrimp abundance is at historically low levels. Catch per unit effort (CPUE) in the 2012 survey was the lowest on record. While CPUE for the recently completed 2013 survey showed a slight improvement, it 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 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.

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