5 AAC 01.610 - Fishing seasons

(a) Except in the nonsubsistence area described in 5 AAC 99.015(a) (5) and unless restricted in this section and 5 AAC 01.625, or unless restricted under the terms of a subsistence fishing permit, fish, other than rainbow trout and steelhead trout, may be taken at any time in the Prince William Sound Area.

(b) Salmon may be taken in the Upper Copper River District only as follows:

(1) in the Glennallen Subdistrict, from June 1 through September 30;

(2) repealed 6/12/2003;

(3) when the Copper River subsistence fishery is closed or restricted because of an inadequate escapement of sockeye or king salmon, the fishery may be reopened September 1 for the taking of coho salmon, which constitute the majority of the salmon at that time.

(c) Repealed 6/30/83.

(d) Herring spawn on kelp may be taken for subsistence purposes as follows:

(1) above water from March 15 through June 15;

(2) underwater using dive gear only during open periods for the wild herring spawn-on-kelp commercial fishery.

(e) Rainbow trout and steelhead trout taken incidentally by fish wheel or subsistence finfish net gear, except dip net gear, are lawfully taken and may be retained for subsistence purposes. Rainbow trout and steelhead trout taken by dip net gear must be released immediately and returned to the water unharmed.

(f) Lingcod may be taken for subsistence purposes only from July 1 through December 31.

(g) Salmon may be taken in the districts described in 5 AAC 01.605(b), only from May 15 through October 31, during fishing periods as follows:

(1) from May 15 until two days before the commercial opening of that salmon district, seven days per week;

(2) during the commercial salmon season, only during open commercial salmon fishing periods in that district and Saturdays from 6:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.;

(3) from two days following the closure of the commercial salmon fishing season in that district through October 31, seven days a week.

(4) notwithstanding (g)(2) of this section, subsistence salmon fishing is not allowed 24 hours before open commercial salmon fishing periods in that district;

(5) from July 1 to August 1 in the waters of Orca Inlet that are closed to commercial fishing in 5 AAC 24.350(11)(H).

(h) Whitefish may be taken by gillnet from October 1 through March 31.

Notes

5 AAC 01.610

In effect before 1983; am 6/30/83, Register 86; am 4/28/84, Register 90; am 4/30/91, Register 118; am/readopt 5/15/93, Register 126; em am 5/6/94, Register 130; am 5/22/94, Register 130; am 6/7/95, Register 135; am 9/29/95, Register 135; am 3/30/2000, Register 153; am 5/11/2003, Register 166; am 6/12/2003, Register 166; am 12/1/2004, Register 172; am 3/14/2009, Register 189; am 3/29/2018, Register 225, April 2018; am 9/19/2019, Register 231, August 2019; am 3/27/2022, Register 241, April 2022

Authority:AS 16.05.251

AS 16.05.258