Title 5 . Fish and Game

Chapter 28 . Transportation, Possession and Release of Live Fish; Aquatic Farming

Section 20. Groundfish area registration

5 AAC 28.020. Groundfish area registration

(a) Before a person uses a vessel to operate groundfish gear in the territorial waters of Alaska, except for the Eastern Gulf of Alaska registration area, the vessel owner or the owner's authorized agent shall register the vessel with the department. However, the commissioner may waive this registration requirement for a specific fishery or season if the commissioner considers waiver to be necessary.

(b) Unless otherwise specified in this chapter, a vessel may be registered to fish for groundfish in one or more registration areas in a calendar year except that

(1) a vessel may not be validly registered for more than one groundfish registration area at a time;

(2) a vessel validly registered in a Pacific cod exclusive registration area during a state waters season defined in 5 AAC 28.081(c) (4), may not be used to take Pacific cod in any other exclusive registration area or a superexclusive registration area during a state waters season;

(3) a vessel validly registered in a Pacific cod superexclusive registration area during a state waters season defined in 5 AAC 28.081(c) (4), may not be used to take Pacific cod in any other registration area during a state waters season;

(4) a vessel validly registered to take black rockfish in a

(A) superexclusive registration area may not be used to take black rockfish in any other registration area in the same calendar year;

(B) nonexclusive registration area may not be used to take black rockfish in a superexclusive registration area in the same calendar year.

(c) Before operating groundfish gear within a registration area, the vessel owner, or the owner's authorized agent, shall complete the registration requirements by mail or in person at a department office located within the registration area. A completed form validated by the department satisfies the registration requirements. In the form, the department may require check-in and check-out procedures for fishing specified subsections within the registration area. A copy of the completed form must be retained onboard a vessel operating groundfish gear in the registration area.

(d) Before registering for another registration area, the vessel operator shall check out of the current registration area by contacting, in person or by radio, a department representative at an office located within that registration area. Delay in validation of subsequent registration forms in other areas might result if checkout has not been accomplished.

(e) A valid registration becomes invalid

(1) 24 hours after the close of the groundfish season in a registration area; or

(2) upon validation of registration for another groundfish registration area.

(f) Groundfish legally taken in one registration area may be landed in another registration area without check out and re-registration if the vessel operator intends to return the vessel to the registration area where validly registered to continue fishing for groundfish and does not fish for groundfish in any other registration area.

(g) In registration areas where a permit issued by the commissioner is required before operating gear to take groundfish, the permit completes the registration, and the requirements of (d) and (e) of this section do not apply.

(h) Repealed 4/4/97.

(i) Repealed 4/4/97.

History: Eff. 7/30/89, Register 111; am 5/2/92, Register 122; am 7/23/94, Register 131; am 12/22/95, Register 137; am 4/4/97, Register 142; am 7/21/99, Register 151; am 3/31/2002, Register 161

Authority: AS 16.05.251

Editor's note: As of Register 142, July 1997, the substance of 5 AAC 28.020(h) appears in 5 AAC 28.106 and the substance of 5 AAC 28.020(i) appears in 5 AAC 28.206.