The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) has announced the opening of the Aleutian Islands Subdistrict (AIS) state-waters Pacific cod season, along with the closure of the parallel season for all state waters west of 170° W longitude, effective Feb.1, 2025.
The state-waters Pacific cod season opened at 12:00 p.m. AKST on Feb. 1 for vessels 100’ or less in overall length (OAL) using pot gear, vessels 60’ or less OAL using nonpelagic trawl or jig gear, and vessels 58’ or less OAL using longline gear. Simultaneously, the parallel Pacific cod season closed for all gear types in the AIS west of 170° W longitude.
All harvested Pacific cod must be retained. The daily harvest limit per vessel is set at 150,000 pounds (round weight), with a maximum of 150,000 pounds of unprocessed cod allowed onboard at any time. The ADF&G statement noted that any overages must be reported, with proceeds surrendered to the state. Bycatch limits from the parallel Pacific cod season will remain in effect during the state-waters season.
Vessels and tenders participating in the fishery must register with the ADF&G office in Dutch Harbor before engaging in the state-waters season. The AIS state-waters season is designated as an exclusive registration area, meaning fishermen must offload all Pacific cod before participating. Concurrent participation in both federal and state-waters seasons is prohibited, said ADF&G.
Groundfish pots may be stored unbaited on the fishing grounds in waters deeper than 25 fathoms for up to seven days before the start of the state-waters season. Reporting requirements, which will be provided at registration, must be fulfilled via telephone, text, WhatsApp, or email.
Fishermen are also required to adhere to Steller sea lion closure areas, which include no-fishing zones, transit restrictions, and the Seguam foraging area. The closure around Kanaga/Ship Rock is limited to within three nautical miles. A full list of closures and coordinates is available in Tables 5 and 12 of 50 CFR part 679 on the National Marine Fisheries Service website.
For additional information, ADF&G can be reached at (907) 581-1239, via text or WhatsApp at (907) 512-7234, or by email at [email protected].
