2021/22 and 2022/23 Bristol Bay Red King Crab and Bering Sea Snow Crab Disasters

 

Updated
10:30 am PDT on 9/25/2025

Captains and Crew Members

  • Applications for captains and crew members will open at 12:00 pm AKDT on Monday, September 29, 2025.
  • Applications will remain open until 11:59 pm AKST on Wednesday, December 31, 2025.
  • Late applications will not be accepted.

Notices and Unique IDs

Notifications containing the unique IDs required to apply were mailed on Wednesday, September 24, 2025 via USPS First Class. Please wait until at least Monday, October 20, 2025 before contacting PSMFC if you have not received yours. PSMFC will not respond to requests of this nature before that date in order to allow USPS sufficient time to deliver your notice or return it as undeliverable.

Notices were mailed to the last known address on file with your vessel owner during the 2019–20 and 2020–21 Bristol Bay Red King Crab and Bering Sea Snow Crab seasons. Applicants will have just over three months to complete their applications.

Eligible Fisheries

Relief is available only for those who participated in one of the following fisheries, even though the disaster declaration covers the 2021–22 and 2022–23 fisheries:

  • 2019–2020 Bristol Bay Red King Crab (BBR)

  • 2020–2021 Bristol Bay Red King Crab (BBR)

  • 2019–2020 Bering Sea Snow Crab (BSS)

  • 2020–2021 Bering Sea Snow Crab (BSS)

Individuals who first participated in the limited 2021–22 Bering Sea Snow Crab fishery are not eligible for relief.

Contesting Information

The notices sent to captains and crew contain participation information for the 2019–21 fisheries. This information was provided by the vessel owner. If you wish to contest the information, you must electronically submit one of the following at the time of application:

  • Crew contract

  • Crew settlement

  • Affidavit signed by both the crew member and the captain (identified as the K91T or T91Q permit holder) for the fishery being contested

Employment verification documentation may not be submitted by mail, email, or fax. All documentation must be uploaded electronically within the online application.

A copy of the crew member affidavit is available by CLICKING HERE

Quota Shareholders

Relief checks for quota shareholders were mailed on Friday, September 5, 2025.

If you applied but have not received your check, please write to: AKFishDisaster@psmfc.org

Vessel Owners

Initial 75% payments to qualifying vessel owners were mailed on Monday, July 28, 2025. 

If you applied but have not received your check, please write to: AKFishDisaster@psmfc.org

A second payment (the remaining 25% ) will be mailed along with captain and crew disbursements in spring 2026. The purpose of issuing two payments is to ensure that vessel owners cooperate and assist in resolving any questions regarding crew eligibility and crew shares.

Processors

Due to the low number of qualifying processors (both active processors and processor quota shareholders), PSMFC was able to review and process those claims with minimal effort. Relief disbursement occurred in May 2025.