NSRAA shuts Southeast Cove, Crawfish Inlet to common-property chum all season

The Northern Southeast Regional Aquaculture Association has eliminated common-property access to chum salmon at Southeast Cove and Crawfish Inlet for the full 2026 season and will close Deep Inlet to common-property fishing starting June 29, restricting purse seine opportunity at three northern Southeast terminal harvest areas.

NSRAA's 2026 fishing schedule states the reason plainly: the association intends to take the entirety of the chum returns at both sites for cost recovery. "In 2026 both Southeast Cove and Crawfish Inlet will remain closed for the entirety of the season for cost recovery," NSRAA said. "The Deep Inlet THA will close for cost recovery harvest on June 29 and remain closed until the cost recovery goal is met. Unless an emergency develops, these closure dates will be utilized." At Crawfish Inlet, NSRAA added it is "taking the entirety of this return for cost recovery" and that the site "will remain closed to all common property fishing for the season." Trolling remains open in West Crawfish Inlet and in the outer troll-only area of the THA, so the closure falls entirely on common-property seine gear. The specific harvest goal that would trigger a Deep Inlet reopening has not been disclosed. ADF&G's inseason summary notes that Southeast Cove THA will be cost recovery only, with no common-property purse seine opportunity unless fish remain after recovery operations.

At Deep Inlet, the cost recovery effort targets Medvejie summer and fall run chum, and the entire THA will remain closed during those efforts. NSRAA has used similar restrictions before: in 2022, it closed Deep Inlet to common-property fishing over broodstock concerns at Medvejie Hatchery and a likely shortfall of chum cost recovery from Crawfish Inlet, with no additional common-property openings anticipated that season.

Not every northern Southeast THA is locked down. Thomas Bay, with no cost recovery planned in 2026, remains open to common-property purse seine and troll fisheries from June 21 through August 8, according to ADF&G's inseason summary.