Division of Sport Fish
Dave Rutz, Director

Anchorage Headquarters Office
333 Raspberry Road
Anchorage, AK 99518


Alaska Department of Fish and Game
Doug Vincent-Lang, Commissioner

P.O. Box 115526
Juneau, AK 99811-5526
www.adfg.alaska.gov


Advisory Announcement
(Released: March 10, 2020 - Expired: September 15, 2020)

CONTACT: Jay Baumer
Area Management Biologist
(907) 267-2265

Pots Reduced in the Prince William Sound Sport and Subsistence Shrimp Fishery

(Anchorage) - The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) is reducing the number of pots allowed per person and per vessel in the 2020 Prince William Sound (PWS) sport and subsistence shrimp pot fishery from five pots to three pots. The season is open from 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, April 15 through 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, September 15, 2020, with no bag limit. This seasons guideline harvest level (GHL) for the noncommercial (sport and subsistence) shrimp fishery is 102,100 pounds of shrimp.

“The noncommercial shrimp fishery is allocated 60% of the total allowable harvest limit, while the commercial shrimp fishery receives 40%,” stated Area Management Biologist Jay Baumer. “Even with only three pots, the noncommercial shrimp fishery still exceeded its guideline harvest level by approximately 800 pounds of shrimp last season. Therefore, in order to stay within this seasons GHL, the 2020 sport and subsistence shrimp fishery pot limits will remain the same as the 2019 season.”

The commercial shrimp fishery rotates every year between three separate areas in the PWS area. This season commercial shrimpers will be harvesting in Area 2 which is generally in the middle section of PWS. For additional information about the PWS commercial shrimp fishery areas, please review advisory announcement dated March 5, 2020.

PWS sport and subsistence shrimp permits will be available online the last week of March. All participants are required to have a permit with them while shrimping. In addition, all permit harvest reports are due by October 15, 2020, regardless of whether you went shrimping or not. Participants may report their harvest online at any time, whether you have completed shrimping for the season or not. The total season’s harvest must be reported by the due date. Participants who report online with a valid email address will receive an emailed confirmation their harvest has been reported.

For additional information about the PWS sport shrimp pot fishery, please contact Area Management Biologist Jay Baumer in Anchorage at (907) 267-2265. For additional information about the PWS subsistence and commercial shrimp pot fisheries, please contact Area Management Biologist Jan Rumble in Homer at (907) 235-8191.

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