5 AAC 09.369. Northern District Salmon Fisheries Management Plan

(a) The purpose of this management plan is to provide guidelines to the department for the management of salmon stocks in the Northern District of the Alaska Peninsula Management Area.

(b) The department shall manage the Northern District salmon fisheries on the basis of salmon abundance as determined by escapement information and catch-per-unit-effort information. The department shall manage each section of the Northern District as specified in this management plan and 5 AAC 09.320.

(1) before July 1, fishing periods may be modified based on the abundance of king and sockeye salmon stocks;

(2) from July 1 through August 15, fishing periods may be modified based on the abundance of sockeye and chum salmon stocks; and

(3) after August 15, fishing periods may be modified based on the abundance of coho salmon stocks.

(d) The Caribou Flats Section is closed to commercial salmon fishing.

(e) In the Nelson Lagoon Section,

(1) from May 1 through June 15, fishing periods may be modified based on the abundance of Nelson Lagoon king salmon stocks;

(2) from June 16 through August 15, fishing periods may be modified based on sockeye salmon escapement and harvest information in Nelson Lagoon; and

(3) after August 15, fishing periods may be modified based on the abundance of Nelson Lagoon coho salmon stocks.

(f) In the Herendeen-Moller Bay Section, fishing periods for pink and chum salmon stocks may be modified so that pink salmon fishing periods will not jeopardize local chum salmon stocks.

(g) In the Port Moller Bight Section, fishing periods may be modified based on the abundance of Bear River sockeye salmon stocks.

(h) In the Bear River Section, fishing periods may be modified based on sockeye salmon escapement to the Bear and Sandy Rivers. Before taking management actions in the Bear River Section during June, such as modification of fishing time and area by emergency order, the commissioner shall consider the king salmon runs into the King Salmon, Bear, and Sandy Rivers.

(i) In the Three Hills Section before July 21, fishing periods may be modified based on the abundance of sockeye salmon stocks in the Bear, Sandy, and Ilnik Rivers. Beginning July 21, fishing periods in the Three Hills Section may be modified based on the abundance of sockeye salmon stocks in the Bear and Sandy Rivers. When sockeye salmon escapement objectives in the Bear or Sandy Rivers are not being met, the commissioner may close, by emergency order, a portion of the Bear River and Three Hills Sections. If sockeye salmon escapements into the Ilnik River, or the Ocean River when the Ocean River flows directly into the Bering Sea, are not being met and area closures in the Ilnik Section are not effective for meeting the sockeye salmon escapement goals, the commissioner may close, by emergency order, the eastern portion of the Three Hills Section.

(j) In the Ilnik Section,

(1) notwithstanding 5 AAC 09.320(a) (3), from June 25 through July 20,

(A) commercial salmon fishing will be permitted in the Ilnik Section

(i) southwest of the Unangashak Bluffs based on the abundance of Ilnik River sockeye salmon; and

(ii) northeast of the Unangashak Bluffs based on the abundance of Meshik River and Ilnik River sockeye salmon, combined;

(B) if the commissioner closes that portion of the Egegik District specified in 5 AAC 06.359(c) for conservation of Ugashik River sockeye salmon stocks, the commissioner may establish additional fishing restrictions;

(2) from July 21 through August 15, fishing periods may be modified in the Ilnik Section based on the abundance of Bear River sockeye salmon stocks;

(3) after August 15, fishing periods may be modified in the Ilnik Section based on the abundance of coho salmon stocks in the Unangashak and Ilnik Rivers, and the Ocean River when the Ocean River flows directly into the Bering Sea.

(k) In the Inner Port Heiden Section, fishing periods may be modified based on the abundance of king salmon stocks during May and June, sockeye salmon stocks during July, and coho salmon stocks after July.

( l ) The Outer Port Heiden Section is closed to commercial salmon fishing.

(m) In the Cinder River Section, fishing periods may be modified based on the abundance of king salmon stocks during May and June, sockeye salmon stocks during July, and coho salmon stocks after July.

History: Eff. 5/31/98, Register 146; am 6/4/2004, Register 170; am 6/13/2004, Register 170; am 2/16/2006, Register 177

Authority: AS 16.05.060

AS 16.05.251

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