5 AAC 34.925. Lawful gear for Registration Area Q

(a) King crab may be taken only with king crab pots. King crab taken by other means must be returned to the water without further harm.

(b) In addition to the requirements of 5 AAC 39.145, in the Pribilof District and the Saint Matthew Island Section of the Northern District, escape mechanism requirements for king crab pots are as follows:

(1) in the Pribilof District, each king crab pot must have at least one-third of one vertical surface of the pot composed of not less than nine-inch stretched mesh webbing;

(2) in the Saint Matthew Island Section, each king crab pot must have eight escape rings with an inside diameter measure of 5.8 inches placed within one mesh measurement from the bottom of the pot, with four escape rings on two sides of a four-sided pot, or if the pot has no escape rings as specified in this paragraph, then one-half of one side of a four-sided pot must have a side panel composed of net less than eight-inch stretched mesh webbing.

(c) Each pot used to take golden king crab must have no less than four circular escape rings of not less than five and one-half inches inside diameter installed on the vertical plane or have at least one-third of one vertical surface of the pot composed of not less than nine-inch stretched mesh webbing to permit the escapement of undersize golden king crab.

(d) In the Norton Sound and Saint Lawrence Island Sections during the winter commercial king crab season, a king crab pot

(1) may be of any dimension or size;

(2) may be operated only through a solid ice cover; and

(3) must be attached to the ice by a stake that is legibly marked with the name and address of the operator.

(e) During a commercial king crab season, the following pot limits are in effect:

(1) in the Pribilof District

(A) in the red and blue king crab fisheries, an aggregate of no more than 250 pots may be operated from an individual vessel;

(B) in the golden king crab fishery, an aggregate of no more than 50 pots may be operated from a validly registered king crab vessel with an overall length of more than 125 feet, and an aggregate of no more than 40 pots may be operated from a validly registered king crab vessel with an overall length of 125 feet or less;

(2) in the Norton Sound Section of the Northern District, an aggregate of no more than 50 pots may be operated from a validly registered king crab vessel with an overall length of more than 125 feet, and an aggregate of no more than 40 pots may be operated from a validly registered king crab vessel with an overall length of 125 feet or less;

(3) in the Saint Matthew Island Section of the Northern District,

(A) in the blue king crab fishery, an aggregate of no more than 250 pots may be operated from an individual vessel;

(B) in the golden king crab fishery, an aggregate of no more than 75 pots may be operated from a validly registered king crab vessel with an overall length of more than 125 feet, and an aggregate of no more than 60 pots may be operated from a validly registered king crab vessel with an overall length of 125 feet or less;

(4) in the Saint Lawrence Island Section of the Northern District, an aggregate of no more than 50 pots may be operated from a validly registered king crab vessel with an overall length of more than 125 feet, and an aggregate of no more than 40 pots may be operated from a validly registered king crab vessel with an overall length of 125 feet or less.

(f) In Registration Area Q, pots used to take golden king crab may be longlined. Notwithstanding 5 AAC 34.051, a buoy is not required for each pot, but each end of the longline must be marked by a cluster of four buoys, as well as a pole and a flag. One buoy in the cluster must be marked in accordance with the specifications of 5 AAC 34.051(a) .

(g) Repealed 8/14/2005.

(h) Repealed 8/14/2005.

(i) In the districts of Registration Area Q, a registered king crab vessel may not have, at any time in the aggregate, more than the legal limit of gear on board the vessel, in the water in fishing condition, and in the water in non-fishing condition. At the time of tank inspection required under 5 AAC 34.030, the gear must meet all specifications required by this chapter and 5 AAC 39, including identification, escape mechanisms, and mesh size requirements.

(j) A vessel engaged in taking or transporting king crab may not have on board an otter trawl with a ground line or headline longer than 60 feet.

(k) For the purposes of this section, "overall length" means the horizontal distance, rounded to the nearest foot, between the foremost part of the stem and the aftermost part of the stern, excluding bowspirits, rudders, outboard motor brackets, and similar fittings or attachments.

History: In effect before 1982; am 7/25/82, Register 83; am 6/30/83, Register 86; am 7/14/85, Register 95; am 7/12/86, Register 99; 7/23/88, Register 107; am 6/19/92, Register 122; em am 8/21/92 - 12/18/92, Register 123; am 6/24/93, Register 126; am 11/6/96, Register 140; am 8/8/99, Register 151; am 8/31/2000, Register 155; am 8/14/2005, Register 175; am 8/28/2005, Register 175

Authority: AS 16.05.251

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