2026 North Slope Region-Specific Regulations
All North Slope Units:
Yellow-billed loons - Yellow-billed loons that are inadvertently entangled in subsistence fishing nets may be kept for subsistence use. Individuals must report each yellow-billed loon found entangled in fishing nets to the North Slope Borough Dept. of Wildlife (907/852-0350) by Aug. 31.
Black Brant – no egg gathering is permitted.
Emperor Goose season is closed - no harvest of birds or eggs is permitted.
Southern Unit
(Southwestern North Slope regional boundary northeast to Icy Cape, and everything west of longitude line 161° 55’ W and south of latitude line 69° 45’ N to the west bank of the Sagavanirktok River and south along the west bank to the North Slope regional boundary, then west to the beginning).
Season: April 2–June 29 and July 30–August 31 (seabirds). April 2–June 19 and July 20–August 31 (all other birds).
*Closure: June 30–July 29 (seabirds).June 20–July 19 (all other birds).
Eastern Unit
(East of eastern bank of the Sagavanirktok River)
Season: April 2–June 19 and July 20–August 31
*Closure: June 20–July 19
Northern Unit
(From Icy Cape, everything east of longitude line 161° 55’ W and north of latitude line 69° 45’ N to the west bank of Sagavanirktok River and north to 71°).
Season: April 2–June 6 and July 7–August 31 (king and common eiders). April 2–June 15 and July 16–August 31 (all other birds).
*Closure: June 7–July 6 (king and common eiders). June 16–July 15 (all other birds).
*Annual 30-day closure periods in the North Slope Region may differ from fixed dates shown above if environmental and biological conditions warrant such a change. After consultation with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service field biologists, the North Slope Borough (NSB) Department of Wildlife Management, and the NSB Fish and Game Management Committee, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Alaska Regional Director or his/her designee may announce closure dates that differ from those fixed dates.
Within the North Coastal Zone (Cape Thompson north to Point Hope and east along the Arctic Ocean coastline around Point Barrow to Ross Point, including Iko Bay, and 5 miles inland), hunters must present any migratory birds taken for species identification upon request by a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service law enforcement officer and no person may possess any migratory bird or part that is not taken according to the regulations.
Special Black Brant Hunting Season: June 20–July 5.
The open area consists of the coastline from the mean high-water line outward to the North Slope regional boundary to include open water and barrier islands from southern Kasegaluk Lagoon from latitude line 69° 16’ N to the north and east to longitude line 158° 30’ W.
