June NPFMC Recap: Gulf of Alaska Tanner Crab Protections (C5)
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At the recent North Pacific Fisheries Management Council (Council) meeting in Vancouver, Washington, Alaska Marine Community Coalition (AMCC) submitted public comment on three agenda matters regarding prohibited species catch, Tanner crab protections, and pelagic trawl performance standards in Alaska on the federal level. AMCC testimony was focused on asking the Council to objectively examine fisheries issues and make decisions based on sustainable and unbiased practices. The specific agenda items addressed were:
Agenda Item B2 - Fishmeal Disposition of Prohibited Species Catch (PSC);
Agenda Item C5 - Gulf of Alaska (GOA) Tanner Crab Protection Measures; and
Below is a recap of Agenda Item C5 - Gulf of Alaska (GOA) Tanner Crab Protection Measures, what AMCC requested of the Council, and the Council’s ultimate decision and/or recommendation.
In Brief: Agenda Item C5 focused on whether additional protections are needed to reduce interactions between Gulf of Alaska groundfish fisheries and Tanner crab in areas of high crab abundance on the East Side of Kodiak Island. AMCC supported creating a new closure for nonpelagic trawl gear in these areas and also proposed a broader option that would prohibit both pelagic and nonpelagic trawl gear while continuing to allow pot gear. The Council approved a new closure for nonpelagic trawl gear only and directed staff to continue evaluating both the new closure and existing Kodiak crab protection measures.
AMCC’s public comment letter can be found here.
Issue:
Tanner crab are an important species due to their ecological, cultural, subsistence, commercial, and public value in Kodiak and surrounding communities. In the Gulf of Alaska groundfish fisheries, Tanner crab are a prohibited species, but are often caught as bycatch by these fisheries. In order to conserve and protect tanner crab, while minimizing the negative impacts on GOA groundfish fisheries, the Council was asked to consider a new groundfish fishing closure on a seasonal or year-round basis, for different gear types, in areas on the East side of Kodiak Island, known for high crab abundance and density. In addition, the Council was asked to examine groundfish fishery closures that were previously enacted to minimize impacts on tanner crab to determine whether or not these closures needed to be modified or removed.
What AMCC asked for:
As an immediate path to action, AMCC requested that the Council select the Alternative 2, Element 3, Option 2, as outlined in the Council’s GOA Tanner Crab Protection Measures analysis.1 This would establish a new closure for nonpelagic trawl gear on the East Side of Kodiak Island—in areas known for consistently high densities and abundance of Tanner crab. AMCC supported this option because nonpelagic trawl gear catches more Tanner crab than other groundfish gear types (groundish pot gear, and pelagic trawl gear) and represents the easiest and most direct management target for reducing fishery interactions with Tanner crab.
AMCC also proposed a new Alternative 2, Element 3, Option 3, which would prohibit both pelagic and nonpelagic trawl gear in the proposed closure area while continuing to allow pot gear. AMCC requested this option due to ongoing discussion regarding pelagic trawl gear impacts, prohibited species catch mortality, habitat effects, and the need for greater transparency regarding gear performance. Pot gear is recognized as being low-impact in comparison to other groundfish fisheries, and therefore, AMCC requested that the proposed closure areas remain open to this gear type.
In addition, AMCC recommended that a formal review occur five to ten years after the adoption of these closures using a clearly defined evaluation framework that considers biological, habitat, bycatch, and fishery impacts. AMCC specifically requested that the evaluation not serve to automatically reopen these areas, but rather, serve as a conservation measure that would look at Tanner crab biology and behavior across time.
Lastly, AMCC asked the Council that any reconsideration of existing Kodiak crab closures—not the proposed new closure area—occur separately through an independent review process.
AMCC’s public comment letter can be found here.
The C5 Motion:
On June 7, 2026, the Council created a new closure area on the East Side of Kodiak Island for nonpelagic trawl gear to reduce groundfish fishery interactions with Tanner crab. The Council did not include, AMCC’s proposed alternative which would prohibit both pelagic and nonpelagic trawl gear but continue allowing pot gear in the area. Nevertheless, the Council ultimately made progress to protect Tanner crab from commercial trawling in the area, and evaluate these protections after implementation. Further, the Council decided to continue discussing all existing Kodiak crab closures in addition to the main focus: creating a new Tanner crab closure area. The Council recognized further review is necessary for all of the newly added Alternatives, Elements, and Options proposed in regards to already existing closures. Council staff will undertake additional Tanner crab analysis which will also incorporate the Scientific And Statistical Committee’s (SSC) recommendations. The Council’s C5 Motion passed.
What’s next?
The agenda topics discussed above will continue to be evaluated in future Council meetings. AMCC is dedicated to following the conversation and also encourages you to make your voice heard. If you are interested in offering public testimony or submitting a comment at Council meetings, check out AMCC’s Guidebook for Engaging with the NPFMC here. The next Council meeting will be held in Anchorage, Alaska on October 5-13, 2026.
1 N. PAC. FISHERY MGMT. COUNCIL, GOA TANNER GRAB PROTECTION MEASURES 15, 30, 33 (May 11, 2026), https://meetings.npfmc.org/CommentReview/DownloadFile?p=daaaff95-a62b-4f19-846d-13b54166dffd.pdf&fileName=C5%20GOA%20Tanner%20Crab%20RIR%20EA.pdf.
