Petersburg Middle Harbor

Petersburg Middle Harbor occupies the central position in the lineup of three harbor basins that Petersburg Borough operates along the east shore of Wrangell Narrows. North Harbor lies to the north toward the ferry terminal; South Harbor (built 1982) lies to the south. Middle Harbor is the oldest of the working basins and remains the heart of Petersburg's commercial fishing operation — one of the most productive fishing ports in Alaska by volume, with a fleet that targets halibut, black cod, king and Dungeness crab, and salmon across the surrounding Southeast Alaska grounds.

The harbor's character is defined by its fishing roots. Permanent leaseholders — seine boats, longliners, crab vessels, and tenders — occupy the majority of the floats. Transient recreational boaters are accommodated but should expect a working harbor atmosphere: gear on the docks, nets drying, skippers coming and going on tides. This is one of the authentic pleasures of a Petersburg stop — watching a real Alaska fishing fleet at work from a front-row seat on the docks.

Petersburg Borough's harbor department manages all three basins as a unified system under a single harbormaster and office staff who maintain 24/7 on-site presence. The harbor office serves all three basins from the same address (223 Harbor Way / 303 South Second Street, PO Box 329, Petersburg, AK 99833). Boaters contact the same office and hail on the same VHF channel regardless of which basin they occupy.

Electricity is available at berths throughout the harbor system. The primary marine fuel source for the Petersburg harbors is Petro Marine Services (Petro One) at 902 S. Nordic Drive, immediately adjacent to the South Harbor area, supplying diesel and gasoline to commercial and recreational vessels alike. Restrooms and coin-operated showers serve the public across the harbor complex.

The catch basin of Middle Harbor was identified in 2022-23 as a candidate for future dredging — the Army Corps of Engineers noted they would continue to monitor sediment accumulation after completing the South Harbor dredge project.

Petersburg's location within Wrangell Narrows provides excellent all-around protection. The Narrows — only 300 feet wide at its narrowest point — acts as a natural windbreak and fully filters ocean swell. The mountains of Mitkof Island to the west and Kupreanof Island to the east shelter the harbor from the dominant wind directions. Southeasterly airflow can funnel through the Narrows during winter storms but the harbor basins are well-tucked. Summer conditions are typically light winds with frequent overcast and occasional rain, classic Southeast Alaska maritime.