Can I Keep?Dungeness crab Regulations in Alaska (2026)
Recreational dungeness crab rules in Alaska saltwater, as published by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Last checked November 7, 2026.
Limits differ by area — the summary below is the first published rule; see every rule underneath.
Size limit
6.5 in minimum
Bag limit
12 per person
Season
Fishing is open year-round for all species unless otherwise noted…
Can I keep it today? Check your harbor & date
Recreational Dungeness crab rules in Alaska
- Where
- Kodiak Island, Alaska Peninsula & Aleutian Islands salt waters
- Size limit
- Males only: 12 per day, 12 in possession, 6½ inches or more (straight line distance across carapace, not including spines).
- Bag limit
- Males only: 12 per day, 12 in possession, 6½ inches or more (straight line distance across carapace, not including spines).
- Possession
- Males only: 12 per day, 12 in possession, 6½ inches or more (straight line distance across carapace, not including spines).
- Season
- Fishing is open year-round for all species unless otherwise noted below or in special regulations.
- Where
- Southeast Alaska
- Size limit
- Dungeness Crab: 6½ inches minimum size.
- Bag limit
- In combination: 3 males. Dungeness Crab: 6½ inches minimum size. Areas closed to the taking of Dungeness crab: Yakutat area (Cape Suckling to Cape Fairweather). See page 15. Prince of Wales: Klawock/Shinaku Inlets, Coffman Cove, Thorne Bay, and Whale Pass. See page 35. SHRIMP
- Season
- Seasons: Fishing for shellfish is open year-round except: • Tanner crab: • June 16-June 30: Closed to sport and personal use fishing for Tanner crab, except in the Yakutat area (Cape Suckling to Cape Fairweather) where there is no closed season for Alaska residents under personal use regulations. • King crab: • Open to RESIDENTS ONLY under personal use regulations. Check for emergency orders and/or permits with the nearest ADF&G office. • Shrimp: • March 1-April 30: Closed to sport and personal use fishing for shrimp.
- Alaska residents can harvest shellfish under sport, personal use, or subsistence regulations and nonresidents must harvest shellfish under sport regulations.
- Possession Limit: For all shellfish species in Southeast Alaska, the possession limit equals one daily bag limit.
- Nonresidents Sport Shellfish Regulations
- Where
- Southcentral Alaska
- Season
- All of Southcentral Alaska is closed to sport crabbing for Dungeness crab.
- Where
- North Slope and Northwestern Areas
- Size limit
- North Slope and Northwestern Areas Only: 12 per day, 12 in possession, 6½ inches or more.
- Bag limit
- • North Slope and Northwestern Areas Only: 12 per day, 12 in possession, 6½ inches or more.
- Possession
- North Slope and Northwestern Areas Only: 12 per day, 12 in possession, 6½ inches or more.
- Males Only
Commercial rules
Show 5 commercial rules
- Where
- Southeast Alaska (Registration Area A) (ocean)
- Size limit
- (a) Unless otherwise provided in this chapter, only male Dungeness crab six and one-half inches or greater in shoulder width may be taken or possessed.
- Season
- 5 AAC 32.110. Fishing seasons for Registration Area A. In Registration Area A, male Dungeness crab may be taken or possessed only as follows: (1) from 8:00 a.m. June 15 through 11:59 p.m. August 15 and from 8:00 a.m. October 1 through 11:59 p.m. November 30, in all waters of Registration Area A other than those waters specified in (2) and (3) of this section; (2) from 8:00 a.m. October 1 through 11:59 p.m. November 30, in the waters of (A) Section 13-B that are in the Sitka Sound Special Use Area described in 5 AAC 32.150(10); (B) Whale Passage north and west of a line extending from 56° 05.65' N. lat., 133° 07.30' W. long. to 56° 05.85' N. lat., 133° 06.40' W. long.; (3) from 8:00 a.m. October 1 through 11:59 p.m. February 28, in (A) District 1; (B) District 2; and (C) Section 13-B, except the waters of Sitka Sound Special Use Area described in 5 AAC 32.150(10).
- Where
- Yakutat Area (Registration Area D) (ocean)
- Size limit
- (a) Unless otherwise provided in this chapter, only male Dungeness crab six and one-half inches or greater in shoulder width may be taken or possessed.
- Season
- 5 AAC 32.165. Fishing seasons for Registration Area D. In Registration Area D, male Dungeness crab may be taken or possessed only from 12:00 noon May 15 through July 14 and from 12:00 noon November 1 through February 28.
- Where
- Prince William Sound (Registration Area E) (ocean)
- Size limit
- (a) Unless otherwise provided in this chapter, only male Dungeness crab six and one-half inches or greater in shoulder width may be taken or possessed.
- Season
- 5 AAC 32.210. Fishing seasons for Registration Area E. In Registration Area E, in the Eastern Section of the Outer District, a commercial fishing season for Dungeness crab may be opened by emergency order from 12:00 p.m. March 20 through May 20 and from 12:00 p.m. August 25 through December 31.
- Where
- Cook Inlet (Registration Area H) (ocean)
- Season
- 5 AAC 32.310. Fishing seasons for Registration Area H. There is no open fishing season for Dungeness crab in the Cook Inlet Area.
- Where
- Kodiak, Alaska Peninsula & Aleutian Islands (Registration Area J) (ocean)
- Size limit
- (a) Unless otherwise provided in this chapter, only male Dungeness crab six and one-half inches or greater in shoulder width may be taken or possessed.
- Season
- 5 AAC 32.410. Fishing seasons for Registration Area J. (a) Dungeness crab may be only taken or possessed from 12:00 p.m. May 1 until 11:59 p.m. October 31. (b) Repealed 7/10/2025. (c) Notwithstanding (a) of this section, in the waters of the Kodiak District south of the latitude of Boot Point at 56° 49.98' N. lat., and east of longitude of Boot Point at 153° 46.10' W. long., and waters south of the latitude of Cape Ikolik at 57° 17. 40' N. lat., and west of the longitude of Boot Point at 153° 46.10' W. long., Dungeness crab may be taken or possessed only from 12:00 p.m. June 15 until 11:59 p.m. October 31.
Quick answers
What is the dungeness crab size limit in Alaska?
Males only: 12 per day, 12 in possession, 6½ inches or more (straight line distance across carapace, not including spines). (for the first listed area; other areas may differ — see above).
How many dungeness crab can I keep in Alaska?
Males only: 12 per day, 12 in possession, 6½ inches or more (straight line distance across carapace, not including spines). (for the first listed area; other areas may differ — see above).
When is dungeness crab season in Alaska?
Fishing is open year-round for all species unless otherwise noted below or in special regulations.. Whether it is open on a specific day can change by emergency rule — check today's status in the app.
Compare Dungeness crab limits in other states →
More crabs, lobster & shrimp in Alaska
All Alaska saltwater fishing regulations →
Source: Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Most anglers need a Alaska saltwater license or registry: get one here.