5 AAC 39.145 - Escape mechanism for shellfish and groundfish pots
Pot gear must include an escape mechanism in accordance with the following provisions:
(1) a
sidewall, which may include the tunnel, of all shellfish and groundfish pots
must contain an opening equal to or exceeding 18 inches in length, except that
in shrimp pots the opening must be a minimum of six inches in length; the
opening must be laced, sewn, or secured together by a single length of
untreated, 100 percent cotton twine, no larger than 30 thread; the cotton twine
may be knotted at each end only; the opening must be within six inches of the
bottom of the pot and must be parallel with it; the cotton twine may not be
tied or looped around the web bars; Durtgeness crab pots may have the pot lid
tie-down straps secured to the pot at one end by a single loop of untreated,
100 percent cotton twine, no larger than 60 thread, as a substitute for the
above requirement; the pot lid must be secured so that, when the twine
degrades, the lid will no longer be securely closed;
(2) all king crab, Tanner crab, shrimp,
miscellaneous shellfish and groundfish pots may, instead of complying with (1)
of this section, satisfy the following: a sidewall, which may include the
tunnel, must contain an opening at least 18 inches in length, except that
shrimp pots must contain an opening at least six inches in length; the opening
must be laced, sewn, or secured together by a single length of treated or
untreated twine, no larger than 36 thread; a galvanic timed release (GTR)
device, designed to release in no more than 30 days in salt water, must be
integral to the length of twine so that, when the device releases, the twine
will no longer secure or obstruct the opening of the pot; the twine may be
knotted only at each end and at the attachment points on the galvanic timed
release device; the opening must be within six inches of the bottom of the pot
and must be parallel with it; the twine may not be tied or looped around the
web bars;
(3) in an area open to
commercial, personal use, sport, or subsistence fishing with pot gear,
including a pot storage area, a registered commercial fishing vessel or a
vessel used for personal use, sport, or subsistence fishing may not have on
board the vessel or in the water, in fishing or stored condition, any
groundfish or shellfish pot gear that does not have an opening or rigging as
specified in this section;
(4) all
commercial, subsistence, personal use, and sport shellfish pots constructed
with rigid mesh must have at least one opening in a sidewall of the pot which
may include the tunnel, except Dungeness crab pots that have a pot lid tie-down
that complies with (1) of this section; the opening in a king crab or Tanner
crab pot must be equal to or exceed a 12-inch by 8-inch rectangle; the opening
in a Dungeness crab pot must be equal to or exceed a 10-inch by 6-inch
rectangle; the lower long edge of the opening must be parallel to, and within
six inches of, the bottom of the pot; the opening in a shrimp pot must be equal
to or exceed a four-inch square; the lower edge of the opening must be parallel
to, and within six inches of, the bottom of the pot; the opening may be covered
with a single panel secured to the pot with no more than four single loops of
untreated, 100 percent cotton twine, no larger than 30 thread; each single loop
of cotton twine may contain only one knot and may not be laced along the
opening; the panel must be attached to the pot in a manner that when the cotton
twine degrades the panel will drop away from the pot exposing the opening
completely.
(5) all commercial,
subsistence, personal use, and sport collapsible groundfish pots, commonly
known as slinky pots, must contain two openings in the mesh with each equal to
or exceeding 18 inches in length; the openings must each be laced, sewn, or
secured together by a single length of untreated, 100 percent cotton twine not
larger than 30 thread; the cotton twine may be knotted at each end only; the
openings must be on opposite sides of the pot; if placed on the tunnel side the
opening must be in an area that does not include the door opening, within six
inches of the edge of the pot.
Notes
Authority:AS 16.05.251
AS 16.10.125
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