Title 5 . Fish and Game

Chapter 55 . Personal Use Fishery

Section 23. Special provisions for seasons, bag, possession, and size limits, and methods and means for the Prince William Sound Area

5 AAC 55.023. Special provisions for seasons, bag, possession, and size limits, and methods and means for the Prince William Sound Area

Unless otherwise specified by an emergency order issued under AS 16.05.060 , the following are special provisions to seasons, bag, possession, and size limits, and methods and means provisions under 5 AAC 55.022 in the Prince William Sound Area:

(1) the following special provisions apply to salmon, other than king salmon:

(A) in all freshwater drainages crossed by the Copper River Highway from and including Eyak River to the Million Dollar Bridge, including Clear Creek at mile 42 downstream of the Carbon Mountain Road Bridge, the bag and possession limit is three fish; a coho salmon removed from the water shall be retained and becomes part of the bag limit of the person originally hooking it; a person may not remove a coho salmon from the water before releasing the fish;

(B) within the following terminal harvest areas, the bag limit is six fish; and the possession limit is 12 fish:

(i) Cordova vicinity: the salt waters north of a line from Odiak Slough to Stump Point and south of a line from Orca Cannery to Knot Point;

(ii) Valdez vicinity: the salt waters north of a line from Point Freemantle to Rocky Point, excluding Jack Bay, Sawmill Bay, and Galena Bay;

(iii) Whittier vicinity: the salt waters west of a line from Blackstone Point to Pigot Point;

(iv) Chenega vicinity: the salt waters inside the entrance of Sawmill Bay and Crab Bay;

(C) Shelter Bay: in salt waters of Shelter Bay of Hinchinbrook Island and all fresh waters draining into Shelter Bay; bag limit of six fish and possession limit of 12 fish, of which only one fish may be a coho salmon;

(D) Eshamy Lagoon and the Eshamy drainage: bag limit of six fish and possession limit of 12 fish, of which only three per day and six in possession may be sockeye salmon, and only three per day and three in possession may be coho salmon;

(2) snagging is prohibited

(A) from December 1 - January 31, in Eshamy Lagoon inside ADF&G regulatory markers located on the lagoon shore approximately one-half mile on either side of the ADF&G cabin;

(B) within the Whittier small boat harbor;

(C) from June 1 - September 30, in the Cordova vicinity in the salt waters north of a line from Odiak Slough to Stump Point and south of a line from Orca Cannery to Knot Point;

(3) the waters of Lake Bay of Ester Island inside ADF&G regulatory markers located approximately 100 feet seaward of the Ester Hatchery broodstock holding pen are closed to sport fishing;

(4) the Robe River downstream from the Richardson Highway to an ADF&G regulatory marker located approximately 100 yards downstream from the confluence with the Lowe River is a fly-fishing-only water, with a bag and possession limit of three salmon, of which only one fish may be a coho salmon and only one fish may be a sockeye salmon;

(5) Solomon Gulch Creek downstream from an ADF&G regulatory marker located approximately 300 feet downstream of the Valdez Fisheries Development Association's weir is open to salmon fishing with a bag limit of six fish and possession limit of 12 fish, of which only three per day and in possession may be coho salmon;

(6) in the Copper River Delta Special Management Area for Trout described in 5 AAC 55.033,

(A) only catch and release fishing is allowed for all trout species;

(B) only unbaited, single-hook, artificial lures may be used for all sport fishing;

(7) in the Eyak River from a point 200 yards upstream from the Eyak Lake water control structure to a point 200 yards downstream from the bridge at the outlet of Eyak Lake, from June 1 - September 30, only single-hook, artificial flies with a gap between the point and the shank of 3/8 inch or less with no additional weight attached to the line may be used;

(8) the following waters of the Prince William Sound Area are closed to sport fishing for salmon:

(A) Clear Creek upstream of the Carbon Mountain Road Bridge located at Mile 42 of the Copper River Highway;

(B) Eccles Creek;

(C) Eyak Lake and its tributaries;

(D) Hartney Creek upstream from Whitshed Road;

(E) all waters that drain into Port Valdez inside of a line from Allison Point to and including Mineral Creek, except the Robe River and Solomon Gulch Creek as described in (4) and (5) of this section.

History: Eff. 5/11/2003, Register 166; am 12/1/2004, Register 172

Authority: AS 16.05.060

AS 16.05.251