Title 5 . Fish and Game

Chapter 47 . Personal Use Fishery

Section 21. Special provisions for seasons, bag, possession, and size limits, and methods and means for the salt waters of Southeast Alaska Area

5 AAC 47.021. Special provisions for seasons, bag, possession, and size limits, and methods and means for the salt waters of Southeast Alaska Area

(a) Unless otherwise specified through an emergency order issued under AS 16.05.060 , the special provisions in this section apply in the salt waters listed. The special provisions are exceptions to the general provisions specified in 5 AAC 47.020, 5 AAC 47.030, and 5 AAC 47.035, and modify the general provisions only to the extent specified in this section.

(b) In the Yakutat vicinity:

(1) in Ankau Lagoon,

(A) the bag and possession limit for king salmon

(i) 20 inches or greater in length is one fish;

(ii) less than 20 inches in length is 10 fish;

(B) the bag and possession limit for coho salmon 16 inches or greater in length is two fish;

(C) the bag and possession limits for chum, pink, and sockeye salmon 16 inches or greater in length are a bag limit of six fish per species, and a possession limit of 12 fish per species;

(D) the bag and possession limit for salmon, other than king salmon 16 inches or less in length is 10 fish per species;

(E) from August 15 - September 30, sport fishing is prohibited east of a line from Smokehouse Point north to the mainland;

(2) in Yakutat Bay, the bag and possession limit for

(A) coho salmon 16 inches or greater in length is two fish;

(B) chum, pink, and sockeye salmon 16 inches or greater in length are a bag limit of six fish per species, and a possession limit of 12 fish per species;

(C) salmon, other than king salmon 16 inches or less in length is 10 fish per species.

(c) In the Haines/Skagway vicinity, the waters of Chilkat Inlet north of a line extending from an ADF&G regulatory marker located approximately one mile south of Anchorage Point to an ADF&G regulatory marker located directly north of the Letnikof Cove boat ramp are closed to sport fishing for king salmon from April 15 - July 15.

(d) In the Juneau vicinity: in the waters that are adjacent to the Juneau City and Borough road system to a distance one-quarter mile offshore:

(1) rainbow and cutthroat trout, in combination, must be no less than 14 inches and no greater than 22 inches in length;

(2) the bag and possession limit for Dolly Varden is two fish;

(3) in the waters of Auke Bay, east of a line from Waydelich (Wadleigh) Creek to an ADF&G regulatory marker located approximately one-quarter mile south of the mouth of Auke Creek,

(A) sport fishing for sockeye salmon is closed;

(B) Dolly Varden may be taken only from June 1 - March 31;

(4) in the waters of Eagle River Beach, from the Boy Scout Camp north to an ADF&G regulatory marker located on the mainland shore at the latitude of Sentinel Island Light at 58ΓΈ 32.78' N. lat., l34ΓΈ 55.27' W. long., to a distance one-quarter mile offshore, Dolly Varden may be taken only from June 1 - March 31.

(e) In the waters of Taku Inlet,

(1) north of a line from Cooper Point to the mouth of Dorothy Creek, king salmon may be taken only from June 15 - April 15;

(2) from May 1 through the third Sunday in June, when the commercial drift gillnet fishery is open in the waters of Section 11-B under 5 AAC 33.310(c) (4)(A), the commissioner may, by emergency order increase the bag and possession limits and liberalize the method and means of harvest for king salmon.

(f) In the waters of Mitchell Bay (Salt Lake) in the Admiralty Island vicinity, the bag and possession limit for coho salmon 16 inches or greater in length is six fish.

(g) In the Sitka vicinity:

(1) in the Sitka Sound Special Use Area, defined as that area of Sitka Sound enclosed on the north by lines from Kruzof Island at 57ΓΈ 20.50' N. lat., 135ΓΈ 45.17' W. long. to Chichagof Island at 57ΓΈ 22.05' N. lat., 135ΓΈ 43' W. long., and from Chichagof Island at 57ΓΈ 22.58' N. lat., 135ΓΈ 41.30' W. long. to Baranof Island at 57ΓΈ 22.28' N. lat., 135ΓΈ 40.95' W. long., and on the south and west by a line running from the southernmost tip of Sitka Point at 56ΓΈ 59.38' N. lat., 135ΓΈ 49.57' W. long. to Hanus Point at 56ΓΈ 51.92' N. lat., 135ΓΈ 30.50' W. long. to the green day marker in Dorothy Narrows to Baranof Island at 56ΓΈ 49.28' N. lat., 135ΓΈ 22.60' W. long.,

(A) the nonresident bag and possession limit for lingcod is a bag limit of one fish, and possession limit of two fish;

(B) the bag and possession limit for non-pelagic rockfish is three fish, of which no more than one may be a yelloweye rockfish;

(C) razor clams may not be possessed or retained; all razor clams dug must be released immediately;

(2) the waters off Cape Edgecumbe enclosed by a box at 56ΓΈ 55.50' N. lat. and 56ΓΈ 57' N. lat., and 135ΓΈ 54' W. long. and 135ΓΈ 57' W. long. are closed to sport fishing for all species of bottomfish, as defined in 5 AAC 39.975, and halibut;

(3) the Bear Cove Special Harvest Area, described as those waters of Bear Cove east of a line between ADF&G regulatory markers located on the north and south shores of Bear Cove, is closed to snagging; a fish hooked anywhere other than the mouth must be released immediately;

(4) Sitkoh Bay is closed to sport fishing for sockeye salmon;

(5) as specified in 5 AAC 01.760, in Redoubt Bay

(A) the bag and possession limit for sockeye salmon is four fish;

(B) from June 1 - July 15, snagging is not allowed in the waters south of 56ΓΈ 54.71' N. lat.;

(C) from July 16 - August 31, snagging is not allowed by a nonresident in the waters south of 56ΓΈ 54.71' N. lat.

(h) In the Petersburg/Wrangell vicinity, in the waters of Grey's Passage enclosed by a line from Babbler Point to Point Highfield to an ADF&G regulatory marker located at the eastern entrance to Blind Slough, to the mouth of Jap Creek on the mainland shore, salmon may be taken only from June 15 - April 15.

(i) In the Prince of Wales Island vicinity, the waters of Klawock Harbor between the Klawock River Bridge and a line from the Klawock blinker light to the Klawock oil dock are closed to

(1) snagging; a fish hooked anywhere other than the mouth must be released immediately;

(2) sport fishing for sockeye salmon.

(j) In the Ketchikan vicinity:

(1) in the waters of Behm Canal, Clarence Strait, Tongass Narrows, Nichols Passage, George Inlet, Carroll Inlet, Thorne Arm, Revillagigedo Channel, and all contiguous waters enclosed by the latitude of Bushy Point Light (55ΓΈ 44.00' N. lat.), a line from Point Alava to the southernmost tip of Ham Island, a line from Cedar Point to Dall Head to a point in midstream Clarence Strait at the latitude of Dall Head (55ΓΈ 07.12' N. lat.) to Caamano Point, the bag and possession limit for non-pelagic rockfish is three fish, of which no more than one may be a yelloweye rockfish;

(2) Behm Canal and the contiguous bays and enclosed by a line from Point Eva to Cactus Point, a line from Point Lees to Elsie Point, and a line between ADF&G regulatory markers located at the longitude of the outlet of Long Lake (130ΓΈ 26.10' W. long.), are closed to sport fishing for salmon;

(3) in Behm Canal and the contiguous bays between a line from Point Eva to Cactus Point and the latitude of Point Nelson (55ΓΈ 18.00' N. lat.), salmon may be taken only from August 15 - April 30;

(4) in Neets Bay east of a line between ADF&G regulatory markers located approximately one mile from the head of the bay, salmon may be taken only from November 16 - June 14;

(5) in Thomas Basin seaward of a line between ADF&G regulatory markers located on the upstream side of the Stedman Street Bridge,

(A) only single hooks may used;

(B) snagging is prohibited; a fish hooked anywhere other than the mouth must be released immediately.

History: Eff. 6/1/2003, Register 166; am 7/18/2003, Register 167; am 7/26/2003, Register 167; em am 4/13/2005 - 8/10/2005, Register 174

Authority: AS 16.05.060

AS 16.05.251