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(a) In the Bering Sea District, the commercial C. bairdi Tanner crab fishery may open only if an analysis of preseason survey data indicates that the population contains 21,000,000 pounds or more of mature female crab biomass in the Eastern Subdistrict.
(b) The department shall establish separate total allowable catch levels for that portion of the Bering Sea District east of 166ΓΈ W. long., and that portion west of 166ΓΈ W. long., based on the proportion of molting mature males east and west of 166ΓΈ W. long.
(c) If the commercial C. bairdi Tanner crab fishery in the Eastern Subdistrict is open under (a) of this section, and the mature female crab biomass is
(1) at least 21,000,000 pounds, but less than 45,000,000 pounds, the total allowable catch will be no more than 10 percent of the molting mature male abundance or 50 percent of the exploitable legal size male abundance, whichever is less;
(2) 45,000,000 pounds or more, the total allowable catch will be no more than 20 percent of the molting mature male abundance or 50 percent of the exploitable legal size male abundance, whichever is less.
(d) In that portion of the Bering Sea District east of l66ΓΈ W. long., the minimum total allowable catch (not including the CDQ quota) is 4,000,000 pounds for the commercial C. bairdi Tanner crab fishery. Neither the commercial C. bairdi Tanner crab fishery, or the CDQ fishery under 5 AAC 39.690, will open if the minimum total allowable catch level is not met. In that portion of the Bering Sea District west of l66ΓΈ W. long., there is no minimum total allowable catch for the commercial C. bairdi Tanner crab fishery. However, the area will open for C. bairdi Tanner crab only if the department determines that the fishery can be managed consistent with sustained yield principles.
(e) If the commercial fishery in the Bering Sea District is not opened because it did not meet the threshold requirements specified in (a) of this section, the total allowable catch for each portion east and west of 166ΓΈ W. long. is reduced by one-half as computed as specified in (c) of this section during the next season in which the requirements specified in (a) of this section are achieved. If the fishery remains closed because the total allowable catch is reduced by one-half and the minimum total allowable catch is not met, the fishery shall reopen the following season if the minimum total allowable catch is available for harvest.
(f) In implementing this harvest strategy, the board directs the department to consider the reliability of estimates of C. bairdi Tanner crab, the manageability of the fishery, and other factors the department determines necessary to be consistent with sustained yield principles, and to use the best scientific information available.
(g) For the purposes of this section,
(1) "exploitable legal size male abundance" means the estimated abundance of 100 percent of newshell and 32 percent of oldshell male C. bairdi Tanner crab that are more than 140 millimeters (five and one-half inches) in carapace width, including the spines;
(2) "mature female crab biomass" means the estimated biomass of female C. bairdi Tanner crab that are more than 79 millimeters in carapace width;
(3) "molting mature male abundance" means the estimated abundance of 100 percent newshell and 15 percent of oldshell male C. bairdi Tanner crab that are more than 112 millimeters in carapace width.
History: Eff. 8/8/99, Register 151; am 3/11/2001, Register 157; am 8/24/2002, Register 163; am 8/14/2005, Register 175; am 8/28/2005, Register 175
Authority: AS 16.05.251
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Last modified 7/05/2006