5 AAC 75.220. Statewide management standards for wild trout

(a) The Board of Fisheries (board) recognizes the current lack of stock status information for many wild trout stocks, the potential for increased angler effort on wild trout stocks throughout Alaska, the potential for loss of fishing opportunity, and the potential for over-exploitation of wild trout stocks. The board intends to maintain quality fisheries and habitat for wild trout stocks throughout this state by following, to the extent practicable, the standards set out in this section.

(b) The board finds that wild trout stocks should be managed for optimal sustained yield, based on management objectives that maximize benefits of the fisheries while maintaining genetic diversity, biologically desirable size composition, and abundance levels that do not require stocking to enhance or supplement the wild stocks.

(c) Based on the concerns and management objectives specified within this section, the board intends to manage wild trout stocks conservatively. The standards for conservative management are as follows:

(1) in the Southeast Alaska Area, conservative management for

(A) wild rainbow trout and cutthroat trout, in combination, means a bag and possession limit of two fish, no less than 11 inches and no greater than 22 inches in length;

(B) steelhead trout means a bag limit of one fish, no less than 36 inches in length, with a possession and annual limit of two fish;

(2) in areas other than the Southeast Alaska Area, conservative management for wild rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, and steelhead trout, in combination, means a bag and possession limit of two fish, of which only one may be 20 inches or greater in length, with an annual limit of two fish 20 inches or greater in length.

(d) The standards established in this section for conservative management do not apply to any area for which the board has established a regional trout management plan and adopted provisions of the plan as regulations. Areas for which the board has established a regional trout management plan and adopted provisions of the plan as regulations include the Southeast Alaska Area, the Copper River Basin, Cook Inlet, and the Southwest Alaska area.

(e) The board may adopt regulatory measures that deviate from the conservative management standards of this section as necessary to address sustainability or optimal sustained yield issues, or to establish special management areas or liberalize harvest in areas under 5 AAC 75.013.

(f) Nothing in this section establishes a bag limit, possession limit, size limit, or annual limit.

(g) In this section, "optimal sustained yield" has the meaning given that term in 5 AAC 75.222(f) .

History: Eff. 11/19/2003, Register 168; am 3/13/2004, Register 169

Authority: AS 16.05.251

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