5 AAC 39.212 - Forage Fish Management Plan
(a) This management
plan governs the commercial harvesting of forage fish species in the waters of
Alaska.
(b) The board finds that
forage fish perform a critical role in the complex marine ecosystem by
providing the transfer of energy from the primary and secondary producers to
higher trophic levels. The higher trophic levels include many commercially
important fish and shellfish species. Forage fish also serve as important prey
species for marine mammals and seabirds.
(c) The board finds that abundant populations
of forage fish are necessary to sustain healthy populations of commercially
important species of salmon, groundfish, halibut, and shellfish.
(d) Except as otherwise provided in 5 AAC 03
- 5 AAC 39, forage fish may not be commercially taken.
(e) A vessel fishing in a directed groundfish
fishery may retain a maximum allowable bycatch of forage fish equal to no more
than two percent of the round weight or round weight equivalent of the
groundfish on board the vessel.
(f)
For the purposes of this section, "forage fish" means the following species of
fish:
(1) Family Osmeridae (capelin,
eulachon, and other smelts);
(2)
Family Myctophidae (laternfishes);
(3) Family Bathylagidae (deep-sea
smelt);
(4) Family Ammodtidea
(Pacific sand lance);
(5) Family
Trichodontidae (Pacific sandfish);
(6) Family Pholidae (gunnels);
(7) Family Stichaeidae (pricklebacks,
warbonnets, eelblennys, cockscombs, and shannys);
(8) Family Gonostomatidae (bristlemouths,
lightfishes, and anglemouths);
(9)
species of the Order Euphausiacea (krill).
Notes
Authority:AS 16.05.251
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