Southeast Alaska Shrimping Temporarily Closed

Closure expands to sport, personal use, and subsistence fisheries to protect shrimp populations.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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The state of Alaska has expanded a fishing closure for shrimp in Southeast Alaska to protect the species. Shrimping in the region is now closed to all harvesters, including sport, personal use, and subsistence fisheries, through April 30. This is the first time the seasonal closure has included these non-commercial fisheries.

Why it matters

The shrimp fishery in Southeast Alaska has seen declines in abundance, prompting the state to take action to ensure the long-term sustainability of the resource. The closure aims to protect shrimp eggs during their hatch period, which is critical for the species' reproduction.

The details

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game says that 20-30% of the overall shrimp harvest in Southeast Alaska comes from sport, personal use, and subsistence fisheries. Permit holders in several coastal communities, including Ketchikan, Juneau, Wrangell, Petersburg, and Craig, account for about 70% of the shrimp harvested through these non-commercial means. The closure, which is typically reserved for commercial fishermen, was adopted by the Alaska Board of Fisheries last year to protect shrimp eggs during their hatch period.

  • The shrimping closure in Southeast Alaska is in effect from March 3, 2026 through April 30, 2026.
  • The shrimp fishery will reopen to sport, personal use, and subsistence permit holders on May 1, 2026.
  • The shrimp fishery will reopen to commercial users on May 15, 2026.

The players

Troy Thynes

Coordinates commercial fishing in the Southeast Alaska region for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

Alaska Department of Fish and Game

The state agency responsible for managing Alaska's fisheries, including the shrimp fishery in Southeast Alaska.

Alaska Board of Fisheries

The state board that adopted regulations last year to protect shrimp eggs during their hatch period, leading to the expanded closure.

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What they’re saying

“Around Southeast, we've seen declines in shrimp abundance, and this was in response to that. And we've also seen increase in the proportion of harvest from these sport, personal use and subsistence fisheries based on our permit data.”

— Troy Thynes, Coordinator of Commercial Fishing, Alaska Department of Fish and Game (KRBD)

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This closure highlights the state's efforts to protect the long-term sustainability of the shrimp fishery in Southeast Alaska, which is an important resource for both commercial and non-commercial harvesters in the region. The expanded closure to include sport, personal use, and subsistence fisheries signals the state's commitment to managing the fishery responsibly.