5 AAC 29.090. Management of the spring salmon troll fisheries

(a) In this chapter, a spring salmon troll fishery means a fishery that is

(1) opened and closed by emergency order;

(2) restricted in area;

(3) designated by number so that each opening in a specific body of water is uniquely identified for catch reporting purposes.

(b) The department shall manage the spring salmon troll fisheries to target Alaska hatchery-produced king salmon while maintaining a historical pink and chum salmon troll fishery in Cross Sound.

(c) The department shall conduct the spring salmon troll fisheries each year before the opening of the general summer salmon troll season.

(d) In its management of the spring fisheries under this section, the department shall

(1) first consider changes in the previous years' spring fisheries; the department shall open the fisheries if they meet the following requirements:

(A) a directed fishery may occur only if an Alaska hatchery return is expected to exceed broodstock requirements;

(B) at least one spring fishery shall be conducted annually, targeting the king salmon returning to each Alaska hatchery that meets its broodstock requirements;

(C) in order to continue the fishery each year without modification of areas previously established, the contribution rate of hatchery stocks to the directed fishery harvest must exceed 20 percent;

(D) the department shall manage each spring salmon troll fishery as follows:

(i) no more than 1,000 non-Alaska hatchery-produced salmon may be taken in a fishery if the percentage of Alaska hatchery-produced salmon taken in that fishery is less than 33 percent of the king salmon taken in that fishery;

(ii) no more than 3,000 non-Alaska hatchery-produced salmon may be taken in a fishery if the percentage of Alaska hatchery-produced salmon taken in that fishery is at least 33 percent but less than 50 percent of the king salmon taken in that fishery;

(iii) no more than 5,000 non-Alaska hatchery-produced salmon may be taken in a fishery if the percentage of Alaska hatchery-produced salmon taken in that fishery is at least 50 percent but less than 66 percent of the king salmon taken in that fishery;

(iv) there is no limit on the number of non-Alaska hatchery salmon that may be taken in a fishery if the percentage of Alaska hatchery-produced salmon taken in that fishery is 66 percent or more of the king salmon taken in that fishery;

(E) if the requirements of (A) - (D) of this paragraph are met, the department shall open the spring salmon troll fisheries until no later than one day before the opening of the summer salmon troll fishery;

(2) consider additional fishing periods based on the best scientific data and on input from salmon trollers.

(e) Repealed 6/14/2000.

(f) In Cross Sound, in the waters of Section 14-A west of the longitude of Point Dundas, south of the latitude of Point Dundas and east of the longitude of the southern tip of Taylor Island to 58УИ 10' N. lat., then east to Althorp Rock Light, then north to the light at the entrance to Elfin Cove, pink and chum salmon may be taken from Monday through Friday each week beginning on the second Monday in June through June 29 or until 500 king salmon are taken, whichever occurs first.

(g) A person that participates in a spring salmon troll fishery must offload all fish from the person's vessel before participating in the summer salmon troll fishery.

(h) Notwithstanding (a) - (d) of this section, in Snow Passage the commissioner may, by emergency order, extend the length of weekly fishing periods during the spring fishery to maximize the harvest of hatchery coho salmon returning to the Neck Lake release site.

History: Eff. 10/1/98, Register 147; am 6/14/2000, Register 154; am 7/26/2003, Register 167; em am 4/13/2005 - 8/10/2005, Register 174

Authority: AS 16.05.060

AS 16.05.251

Editor's note: Before Register 147, Oct. 1998, the substance of 5 AAC 29.090 was contained in former 5 AAC 33.311(h), (p), and (s). The history note for 5 AAC 29.090 does not contain the history of the provision before Register 147, Oct. 1998.

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