Juneau fishermen looking for good news might find it in a crab claw.
On Friday afternoon, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced that a long-closed personal-use red king crab fishery will open for four days at the end of the month.
According to the department, king crab fishing will open in Section 11A at 6 a.m. Thursday, July 27. Fishing will stay open through 8 p.m. Monday, July 31.
Section 11A includes all waters around Juneau and Douglas Island, and it stretches from Point Bishop to Little Island Light off the northern end of Lincoln Island.
Fishery managers decided to allow a small king crab harvest near Juneau after the annual crab survey turned up good results.
Fishermen interested in catching king crab must obtain a household permit from the Douglas Fish and Game office starting at 8 a.m. Monday. Permits are not available online.
Anyone with a household permit can catch two male crab during the four-day season. Each fishing boat is allowed to carry one crab pot or two ring nets.
When a fisherman hits the limit, the household permit must be returned to Fish and Game immediately, or by Sept. 30.
For more information, call 465-4250.
