Find Fishing Industry Jobs in Alaska

The areas of Alaska as we describe them are divided up into 5 areas. We describe these areas in greater detail in a section that follows but will go over them briefly because it will give you a better understanding of the fishery calendar in this section.

The areas of Alaska are divided up 1 through 5. If you picture Alaska on a map, Area 1 resides in the Southeast, of which the region is named after. It is the portion of Alaska that is furthest to the south and nearest Canada. From there the areas sprawl counter clockwise moving through the northwest. Thus Area 2 of Prince William Sound is closest to Area 1, followed by Area 3 (Kodiak Island), Area 4 is further north and further west in the Aleutian Islands and finally Area 5, the furthest north of the Alaska’s areas, in Bristol Bay.

Here is a Calendar outlining the Fishing Seasons in Alaska with the regions in which they run indicated as well.

January

– Jan. 1 – Aug. 15: Pacific Cod (Pots) “A” season begins.
– Jan. 20 – Nov. 1: Pacific Cod (Bering Sea via Trawlers)

February

No fisheries begin in the month of February but several are ongoing from other seasons.

March

– March 1 – Nov. 15: IFQ Blackcod (sablefish) season
– March 1 – Nov. 15: IFQ Halibut season
– March 17 – June 15: Area 1 – Herring (roe specifically) begins and vary by area

April

– Apr. 15 – June 30: Region 1 – Spring King Salmon (Trolling)

May

– May 1 – Dec. 31: Area 3 – Dungeness Crab
– May 1 – Feb. 28: Area 1 – Yakutat Shrimp (Pots)
– May 1  – Feb. 28: Area 1 – Beam Trawl Shrimp Season
– May 12 – June 15: Hake (off of the OR and WA coast lines)

June

– June 1 – Aug. 15: Area 1 – Sablefish (blackcod via longliners)
– June 1 – Sept. 30: Area 1 – Summer Salmon Troll Season
– June 2 – Oct. 31: Area 1 – Yakutat Set Net Salmon
– June 8 – Sept. 15: Area 2 – General salmon season (gillnetting and purse seiners)
– June 8 – Sept. 30: Area 1 – Salmon gillnet season
– June 10 – July 25: Area 5 – Sockeye salmon season in Bristol Bay
– June 10 – Aug. 20: Area 4 – Salmon seasons with varying dates
– June 10 – Sept. 1: Pacific Cod Catcher/Processor via trawling “C” season
– June 10 – Sept. 1: Pacific Cod Catcher Vessel via trawling “C” season
– June 10 – Nov. 1: Pollock Season in the Bering Sea “B” season
– June 10 – Nov. 30: Pacific Cod Catcher/Processor via hook & line “B” season
– June 10 – Nov. 30: Pacific Cod Catcher Vessel via hook & line “B” season
– June 29 – July 15: Yellowfin Sole (at open sea)
– June 29 – July 15: Rockfish

July

No fisheries begin in July but there are several ongoing throughout the summer. It’s a peak month!

August

There are very few fisheries that begin in August, but several ongoing. Here are the few that begin during August.

– Aug. 15 – May 15: Gold King Crab in the Aleutian Islands
– Aug. 5 – Nov. 25: Pacific Cod in the Bering Sea via Hook & Line

September

– Sept. 1 – Sept. 15: King Crab
– Sept. 1 – Sept. 15: Mackerel
– Sept. 1 – Dec. 15: Pacific Cod “B” Season
– Sept. 1 – Nov. 15: Region 1 Sablefish (Blackcod)
– Sept. 1 – Nov. 20: Region 4 ATKA Mackeral Eastern “B” Season
– Sept. 1 – Nov. 15: Region 4 ATKA Mackeral Centerl “B” Season
– Sept. 1 – Nov. 15: Region 4 ATKA Mackeral Western “B” Season
– Sept. 1 – Oct. 15: Pacific Cod in the Gulf of Alaska

October

– Oct. 1 – Feb. 28: Area 1 Dungeness Crab Season
– Oct. 1 – Feb. 28: Area 1 Shrimp season
– Oct. 1 – Apr. 14: Area 1 Winter King Salmon Season via Trolling
– Oct. 15 – May 31: Area 4 Tanner Crab
– Oct. 15 – May 15: Opilio in the Bering Sea
– Oct. 1 – Oct. 8: Pollock “D” season in the Gulf of Alaska
– Oct. 1 – Feb. 28: Area 1 Shrimp Season via Pots

November

– Nov.1 – Nov. 13: Area 1 King Crab (red)

December

– Dec.3 – Feb. 28: Area 1 Herring

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