5 AAC 35.408. Registration Area H Tanner crab harvest strategy

(a) The provisions of this section establishes the abundance thresholds for the Tanner crab fisheries in the Southern, Kamishak, and Barren Island Districts of Cook Inlet.

(b) In the Southern District, the minimum stock threshold for the commercial fishery is 500,000 legal male Tanner crab. The commercial and non-commercial Tanner crab fisheries will open only under the following conditions:

(1) if the estimated abundance level of legal male Tanner crab is at least 1,000,000 crab, the commercial and non-commercial fisheries will open to harvest Tanner crab at a rate not to exceed 25 percent of the estimated abundance level of legal male Tanner crab;

(2) if the estimated abundance level of legal male Tanner crab is at least 500,000, but less than 1,000,000 crab, the commercial and non-commercial Tanner crab fisheries will open to harvest Tanner crab at a rate not to exceed 15 percent of the estimated abundance level of legal male Tanner crab;

(3) the commercial fishery may not open if

(A) the estimated abundance level of legal male Tanner crab is below 500,000 crab;

(B) attainment of the guideline harvest level would cause legal male Tanner crab abundance to fall below 500,000 crab; or

(C) the estimated harvest capacity, calculated by the number of registered vessels multiplied by the legal pot limit, and the estimated catch rate exceeds the guideline harvest level during a commercial fishery of a minimum 12-hour duration;

(4) if the recent five-year average abundance level of legal male Tanner crab is greater than 100,000 crab, the non-commercial guideline harvest level may not exceed 10 percent of the recent five-year average abundance level of legal male Tanner crab;

(5) the non-commercial fisheries will be closed if

(A) the recent five-year average abundance level of legal male Tanner crab is less than 100,000 crab;

(B) the estimated abundance level of legal male Tanner crab is less than 100,000 crab for three consecutive years; or

(c) In the Kamishak and Barren Islands Districts, combined, the minimum stock threshold for the commercial fishery is 700,000 legal male Tanner crab. The commercial fishery will open only under the following conditions:

(1) if the estimated abundance level of legal male Tanner crab is 1,400,000 crab or greater, Tanner crab may be harvested at a rate not to exceed 25 percent of the estimated abundance level of legal male Tanner crab;

(2) if the abundance level of legal male Tanner crab is less than 1,400,000, but greater than 700,000 crab, Tanner crab may be harvested at a rate not to exceed 15 percent of the estimated abundance level of legal male Tanner crab;

(3) the commercial fishery may not open if

(A) the estimated abundance level of legal male Tanner crab is below 700,000 crab;

(B) the attainment of the guideline harvest level would cause the abundance of legal male Tanner crab to fall below 700,000 crab; or

(C) the estimated harvest capacity, calculated as the number of registered vessels multiplied by the legal pot limit and estimated catch rates, exceeds the guideline harvest level for a fishery of a minimum 24-hour duration.

History: Eff. 8/24/2002, Register 163

Authority: AS 16.05.251

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