5 AAC 29.110 - Management of coho salmon troll fishery
(a) Coho salmon may
be taken from June 1 through September 20. However, the commissioner, in years
when wild coho salmon abundance is projected by the department to meet
escapement needs after considering harvest and effort, may extend, by emergency
order, the coho salmon fishery in any portions of Districts 1 - 16 for up to 10
days after September 20.
(b) The
commissioner may close, by emergency order, the coho salmon troll fishery in
the Southeastern Alaska-Yakutat Area for conservation of coho salmon stocks as
follows:
(1) for up to seven days beginning
on or after July 25 if the total projected commercial harvest of wild coho
salmon is less than 1.1 million; or
(2) for up to 10 days, if the department
makes an assessment and determines that
(A)
the number of coho salmon reaching inside waters might be inadequate to provide
for spawning requirements under normal or restricted inside fisheries for coho
salmon and other species; the primary abundance indicators for the assessment
consist of relative harvest levels by all fisheries and, in particular, catch
per unit of effort in inside drift gillnet and sport fisheries as compared to
average 1971 - 1980 levels and escapement projections for streams where
escapement goals have been established; or
(B) the proportional share of coho salmon
harvest by the salmon troll fishery is larger than that of inside gillnet and
sport fishing fisheries compared to average 1971 - 1980 levels; primary inside
fisheries indicators for the assessment are overall coho salmon harvests and
catch per unit of effort in the District 1, 6, 11, and 15 drift gillnet
fisheries and by anglers sport fishing from boats in the salt water sport
fishery that return to any port connected to the Juneau road system.
(c) Following any
closure made under (b) of this section, the commissioner shall reopen, by
emergency order, waters for salmon troll fishing as specified in this
chapter.
(d) If the department
determines that the strength of the coho salmon run in the inshore and terminal
salmon fishing waters is less than required to provide a spawning escapement
that will maintain the runs on a sustained-yield basis, the department may make
additional closures of the salmon troll fishing seasons, periods, and
areas.
(e) Notwithstanding the
provisions of this section, the department may, for the purpose of allowing the
troll fleet to harvest enhanced coho salmon, and in consultation with hatchery
operators, define areas where coho salmon retention is permitted during
closures under (b) of this section.
Notes
Before Register 147, Oct. 1998, the substance of 5 AAC 29.110 was contained in former 5 AAC 30.310(b), 5 AAC 33.311(c), and 5 AAC 33.365(b) (3)-(5). The history note for 5 AAC 29.110 does not contain the history of the provision before Register 147, Oct. 1998.
Authority: AS 16.05.060
AS 16.05.251
State regulations are updated quarterly; we currently have two versions available. Below is a comparison between our most recent version and the prior quarterly release. More comparison features will be added as we have more versions to compare.
No prior version found.