Fisheries
Alaska’s fisheries are critical to its livelihood
Alaska is home to several of the largest and most valuable commercial, subsistence, and sport fisheries in the nation. Commercial fisheries in the federally managed waters of the Bering Sea and the Gulf of Alaska produce the highest volumes of groundfish (pollock, cod, rockfish, sablefish, and flatfish) in the country, close to 2 million metric tons per year, valued in 2013 in excess of $2 billion.
Wild salmon fisheries range from Ketchikan in the south to Kotzebue, north of the Arctic Circle. In 2014, the commercial catch of salmon in Alaska totaled more than 717 million fish worth $576 million.
Crab fisheries in the Bering Sea, Gulf of Alaska and Southeastern are annually valued at over $280 million with halibut fisheries contributing over $140 million.
Subsistence fishing is critical to the cultural as well as economic well-being of the more than 100,000 Alaska Natives and non-Natives living in rural Alaska. Four percent of fish harvested in Alaska is used for subsistence purposes.
Sport fishing is also important, occurring in saltwater and freshwater regions of Alaska.
How Alaska Sea Grant helps fisheries
The Marine Advisory Program provides information and technical assistance to Alaskans involved in commercial, subsistence and sport fishing. We coordinate workshops, carry out applied research, and publish materials of interest to fishermen.
Fisheries Explorer map
Visit the interactive Fisheries Explorer map to learn about various commercial fisheries around the state, including harvest seasons, commercial access, gear types, and links to more in-depth information. The results can be filtered by region, species, gear types, and more.
News
Climate change has dramatically impacted Gulf of Alaska fisheries. The global phenomenon has led to fisheries disasters over the last several years, including declines in Chinook and other salmon as…
Alaska Sea Grant welcomes John Williams as our new fisheries workforce specialist, based in Cordova, Alaska. He will coordinate statewide commercial fishing training and events as well as provide extension,…
A resilient seafood industry is crucial to many Alaskan coastal communities, contributing to the local economy, cultural identity and food security. Current seafood market conditions have motivated many harvesters to…
When considering health and self-care onboard commercial fishing boats, mental health is frequently overlooked. Fishing seasons are demanding, the working conditions can be grueling and support systems may be limited,…
Sponsored by Alaska Sea Grant, the tenth Alaska Young Fishermen’s Summit (AYFS) provides a broad range of business and policy training specific to owning and operating a commercial fishing business…
This summer, Alaska Sea Grant participated in exchange visits with Greenland partners through the U.S. State Department’s Arctic Education Alliance. The two trips were part of a growing collaboration between…
Alaska Sea Grant and partners were recently awarded over $240,000 from NOAA Sea Grant for a project to train and support new commercial fishermen in Alaska. The two-year project AK…
Fishery managers, researchers, and seafood-industry professionals are invited to mark their calendars for the 33rd Lowell Wakefield Fisheries Symposium to be held in Sitka next spring. The theme for the…
Business assistance through FishBiz
FishBiz includes financial and business tools for Alaska commercial seafood harvesters. Find information on starting and managing your business, growing and diversifying, and planning an exit strategy. Go to Fishbiz
