5 AAC 39.140. Inspection of fishing establishments and vessels

(a) Representatives of the Department of Fish and Game or the Department of Public Safety shall have free and unobstructed access to all fishing vessels, canneries, salteries, and other land-based or floating processing establishments to inspect catch, equipment, gear, and operational compliance with AS 16 and regulations promulgated thereunder.

(b) Upon being approached by a vessel or aircraft under the control of a representative of the Departments of Fish and Game or Public Safety, the operator of a fishing vessel, catcher/processor, or floating processor shall be alert for, and immediately comply with, signals conveying enforcement intent. A vessel operator signaled to stop or heave to for boarding shall

(1) stop immediately and lay to or maneuver in such a way as to permit the representative and his party to come aboard;

(2) if requested, provide a safe ladder for the representative and his party;

(3) when necessary to facilitate the boarding, provide a man rope, safety line and illumination of the ladder;

(4) take such other actions as necessary to ensure the safety of the representative and party and to facilitate the boarding; and

(5) make every effort to comply with all lawful orders given by the representative, except that the owner or operator of the vessel is solely responsible for navigation, supervision, and control of the vessel and his decisions shall be final in all matters pertaining to proper navigation and safety of the vessel crew, and fishing gear.

(c) On a vessel which catches and processes crab and is required to carry an observer under 5 AAC 39.645, the vessel operator must separate crab to be retained and, before butchering, must make those crab available to the observer for inspection.

(d) Notwithstanding the requirements of 5 AAC 30.392(c) , 5 AAC 30.393, 5 AAC 33.392(d) , and 5 AAC 33.393, upon request by a representative of the Department of Fish and Game or a peace officer of the state, a fisherman or processor shall relinquish the tag and head of adipose-fin-clipped salmon, and shall inform the representative or peace officer of the date and location of the catch, if known.

History: In effect before 1985; am 7/14/85, Register 95; am 7/30/89, Register 111; am 5/2/92, Register 122

Authority: AS 16.05.180

AS 16.05.251

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