Unseasonably persistent sea ice in the Bering Sea is disrupting Alaska’s trawl and crab fisheries late in the season, complicating harvest plans and forcing vessels to work around moving ice floes.
Crab operators say the ice is pushing into fishing grounds and along traditional routes, requiring crews to repeatedly relocate gear to avoid damage. The shifting ice can catch and drag surface buoys and pot strings or even cut them loose, making it difficult and time-consuming to find and retrieve pots.
“The crab fleet has to move around … has to move their gear so it doesn’t get run over by the ice. It can drag buoys. So it can drag pots. It can sever buoys. That makes it really difficult to retrieve our pots,” said Cory Lescher of Alaska Bering Sea Crabbers.
Trawl vessels are also adjusting plans, slowing or rerouting to steer clear of heavy ice and avoid entanglements or damage, according to industry accounts. The disruptions are adding costs, extending trip times, and increasing safety and logistical challenges for crews and processors awaiting deliveries.
With ice conditions still shifting, operators are closely monitoring weather and sea-ice movements and moving gear as windows open. The timing of a full return to normal activity will depend on winds, currents, and warming temperatures that can push or thin the ice enough for safer access to key fishing areas.
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