5 AAC 34.113. Southeast Alaska Red King Crab Management Plan

(a) The Southeast Alaska red king crab fishery shall be managed consistently with the board's "Policy on King and Tanner Crab Resource Management" (90-4-FB, March 23, 1990), adopted by this reference, and according to the principles set out in this section.

(b) The department shall close an area if the abundance of various sizes of male and female crabs is inadequate to provide for a sustained harvest, or when potentially high effort precludes an orderly fishery.

(c) The department shall close the fishery if the department's estimate of the available harvest is below the minimum threshold of 200,000 pounds of legal male red king crab.

(d) The department shall determine an appropriate harvest rate before the opening of the fishery. The harvest rate is the percentage of the legal males that can be harvested while providing for the long-term reproductive viability of red king crab stocks. The department shall base the harvest rate on estimates of abundance of the various size classes of male and female crabs, and on factors affecting the reproductive viability of the stock.

(e) The department shall determine the guideline harvest level before each fishing season. The guideline harvest level is the sum of the estimates of sustainable harvest for each fishing district. If stock assessment data are not available, the guideline harvest level will be based on historical fishery performance, catch, and population information. A lack of adequate information will result in conservative management.

History: Eff. 6/24/93, Register 126; am 8/24/2002, Register 163

Authority: AS 16.05.251

Editor's note: Copies of the board policy adopted by reference in 5 AAC 34.113 are available at regional offices of the Department of Fish and Game and from the department's Juneau office, P.O. Box 25526, Juneau, Alaska 99802-5526.

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