Title 5 . Fish and Game

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

Section 160. Harvest guidelines and ranges for Eastern Gulf of Alaska Area

5 AAC 28.160. Harvest guidelines and ranges for Eastern Gulf of Alaska Area

(a) In the Northern Southeast Inside Subdistrict, the department will set the annual guideline harvest limit for the taking of sablefish based on information available to the department, including estimates of sablefish biomass.

(b) In the Southern Southeast Inside Subdistrict, the department will set the annual guideline harvest limit for the taking of sablefish based on information available to the department, including estimates of sablefish biomass.

(c) The guideline harvest levels for the taking of rockfish are as follows:

(1) for the directed taking of demersal shelf rockfish in the Southeast District

(A) in the Southern Southeast Inside Subdistrict, not to exceed 110,000 pounds in round weight (50 m.t.);

(B) in the Northern Southeast Inside Subdistrict, not to exceed 110,000 pounds in round weight (50 m.t.);

(C) for the remaining waters of the Southeast District, the directed rockfish fishing quota will be released January 1 and calculated based on the federal Total Allowable Catch (TAC) after estimated bycatch mortality is deducted;

(2) for the directed taking of black rockfish in the Southeast District, the guideline harvest limits are as follows:

(A) Southern Southeast Outer Coast Sector: not more than 125,000 pounds round weight;

(B) Central Southeast Outside Section: not more than 100,000 pounds round weight;

(C) Northern Southeast Outside Section: not more than 50,000 pounds round weight;

(D) East Yakutat Section: not more than 25,000 pounds round weight;

(E) Icy Bay Subdistrict: not more than 25,000 pounds round weight;

(3) repealed 5/29/93.

(d) The guideline harvest ranges or limits for the taking of flatfish (flounder and sole) in the Northern and Southern Southeast Inside Subdistricts are as follows:

(1) in waters of Sumner Strait north and east of a line from Mitchell Point to Point St. John, west of a line from the tip of Low Point to the tip of Point Alexander, south of a line from Point Alexander to the southern tip of Woewodski Island, and south of the latitude of the northernmost tip of Butterworth Island in Duncan Canal: 100,000 - 350,000 pounds round weight;

(2) in waters of Zimovia Strait and Anita Bay south of the latitude of Nemo Point and north of the latitude of Village Island: 20,000 to 100,000 pounds round weight;

(3) in waters of Sumner Strait, Stikine Strait, and Eastern Passage north and east of a line from Point Howe to Neal Point to Woronkofski Point to Point Highfield, north and west of a line from Babbler Point to Hour Point, and south of the latitude of Blaquiere Point: zero - 150,000 pounds round weight;

(4) in waters of Keku Strait and Port Camden south and east of a line from Point Macartney to Cornwallis Point and west of a line from Point Camden to Salt Point: 100,000 - 350,000 pounds round weight;

(5) in the remaining waters of the Northern Southeast Inside and Southern Southeast Inside Subdistricts: not more than 30,000 pounds round weight.

(e) In the Southeast District, the department shall announce, before the season, the annual guideline harvest level (GHL) for lingcod in each management area based on historical fishery performance data and population trends. Each GHL will be within the following ranges, in round pounds:

(1) Icy Bay Subdistrict 0 - 100,000 (2) East Yakutat Section 0 - 200,000 (3) Northern Southeast Outside Section 0 - 40,000 (4) Central Southeast Outside Section 0 - 240,000 (5) Southern Southeast Outer Coast Sector 0 - 167,000 (6) Southern Southeast Internal Sector 0 - 52,000 (7) Northern Southeast Inside Subdistrict 0 - 32,000

(f) The guideline harvest range for the taking of Pacific cod in the Southern and Northern Southeast Inside Subdistricts combined is 750,000 - 1,250,000 pounds round weight.

History: Eff. 7/30/89, Register 111; am 4/30/91, Register 118; am 5/29/93, Register 126; am 4/15/94, Register 130; am 6/15/97, Register 142; am 5/31/98, Register 146; am 6/14/2000, Register 154; am 7/18/2003, Register 167

Authority: AS 16.05.251