Commercial fishermen in Southeast Alaska will get another shot at red king crab this fall, marking the region’s first back-to-back fisheries in more than two decades.
The 2026/27 Southeast Alaska commercial red and blue king crab fishery will open as a competitive fishery at 10 a.m. Sunday, Nov. 1, with a regionwide guideline harvest level of 213,076 pounds, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G).
It will be the second consecutive year the Southeast fishery has opened following several years without one. The last time the region saw consecutive commercial red king crab fisheries was from 2001 through 2003.
“So, you know, 20-plus years since we’ve had fisheries back to back,” Adam Messmer, ADF&G regional shellfish biologist, told KFSK.
This year’s 213,076-pound guideline harvest level is slightly higher than last year’s harvest level. ADF&G developed its estimates by surveying seven bays and assessing the available crab stock. Messmer said this year’s consecutive opener is being supported by a population increase in several bays.
“We’re trying to capitalize on that for as long as possible, until there’s another pulse coming up behind it,” Messmer told KFSK. “But nobody really knows when that will happen.”
Three bays are showing particularly promising numbers, while last year’s fishery also revealed what Messmer described as “bright spots” outside the department’s survey areas.
Biologists are seeing more legal-size crab this year, something Messmer said was expected after surveys last year found a strong presence of pre-recruits, or crab that were just below legal size and expected to grow into the fishery after another molt.
Enough of those crab reached legal size to support another commercial opener. But surveys are now showing fewer undersized crab coming up behind them.
“There’s still some … but not to the same extent,” Messmer told KFSK. “But you know, after having the fishery, seeing that legal-size go up a bit means that we didn’t overharvest on them last year.”
Harvest levels within individual fishing areas will be announced separately. ADF&G said pot tags, logbook packets and registrations will be available at area offices after Sept. 11.
Participation this season could look similar to last year. KFSK reported that 51 of the region’s 59 red king crab permit holders sold crab during the 2025 fishery. That season was also particularly valuable for Southeast fishermen. Last year’s red king crab fishery was valued at nearly $5.4 million, generating more money than the region’s previous two decades of red king crab fisheries combined.
Prices will ultimately be determined by processors, as the estimates haven’t been released.
