5 AAC 04.395 - Subdistricts 5 and 6 of the Norton Sound District and the Unalakleet River King Salmon Management Plan

(a) The purpose of this management plan is to provide the department management direction for the subsistence, sport, and commercial king salmon fisheries in the marine waters of Subdistricts 5 and 6 and in the Unalakleet River drainage from June 15 through July 15.

(b) From June 15 through June 20,

(1) the commissioner will close, by emergency order, subsistence fishing and immediately reopen subsistence fishing with two 48-hour fishing periods per week in the marine waters of Subdistricts 5 and 6 and two 36-hour fishing periods per week in the in river fishery;

(2) in the sport fishery,

(A) the bag and possession limit for king salmon is two fish, of which only one fish may be 20 inches or greater in length;

(B) the annual limit for king salmon 20 inches or greater in length is two fish;

(3) commercial fishing is closed.

(c) If the projected king salmon escapement is below the lower end of the escapement goal range, all fishing for king salmon will be closed.

(d) Notwithstanding any provision of 5 AAC 39.222 and 5 AAC 39.223, if the projected king salmon count at the North River counting tower exceeds the midpoint of the escapement goal,

(1) the commissioner may open, by emergency order, a subsistence king salmon fishery in the

(A) marine waters of Subdistricts 5 and 6 for two 48-hour fishing periods per week; and

(B) inriver fishery for two 36-hour fishing periods per week;

(2) the commissioner may increase, by emergency order, the sport fish annual limit for king salmon, 20 inches or greater in length, to four fish;

(3) the commissioner may open, by emergency order, a commercial king salmon fishery with two 24-hour fishing periods per week.

(e) If subsistence fishing periods in the Unalakleet River drainage are restricted to less than two 36-hour openings, the sport fish harvest annual limit for king salmon will be reduced to one fish with no size limit.

(f) In Subdistricts 5 and 6, if the marine waters subsistence fishery is restricted to

(1) a gillnet mesh size of six inches or less under 5 AAC 01.170(j), the sport fish bag and possession limit and annual limit for king salmon will be reduced, by emergency order, to one king salmon;

(2) less than two 48-hour fishing periods, the sport fishery will be reduced, by emergency order, to catch-and-release fishing only.

(g) In the Unalakleet River drainage or in the marine waters of Subdistricts 5 and 6, if the subsistence fishery is closed to the retention of king salmon, sport fishing for king salmon will be closed.

(h) In Subdistricts 5 and 6, the commercial pink or chum fisheries may occur only if the department determines there is a harvestable surplus of pink or chum salmon and that a directed pink or chum salmon commercial fishery will not have a significant impact on escapement goals or subsistence uses of king salmon, and only under the following conditions:

(1) before July 1, a commercial pink or chum salmon fishery may not occur if

(A) in the king salmon subsistence fishery in the marine waters,

(i) the gillnet mesh size is restricted to six inches or less under 5 AAC 01.170(j); or

(ii) subsistence fishing time is reduced; or

(B) the king salmon subsistence fishery is closed;

(2) notwithstanding the provisions of (1) of this subsection, during times when the commissioner determines that it is necessary for the conservation of king salmon, the commissioner may close, by emergency order, any open commercial gillnet fishing season and open a commercial salmon fishery at any time during which only beach seinc gear may be used to take chum and pink salmon and all king salmon caught must be returned immediately to the water alive; a beach seine may not be constructed of monofilament web and may not exceed

(A) 150 fathoms in length;

(B) 100 meshes in depth;

(C) a mesh size of four inche stretched measure.

(i) If subsistence fishing for king salmon is restricted, the commissioner may, by emergency order, close the commercial salmon fishery and immediately reopen the commercial fishery during which king salmon may be retained, but not sold.

Notes

5 AAC 04.395

Eff. 6/7/2007, Register 182; am 5/19/2010, Register 194; am 4/13/2013, Register 206; am 5/22/2016, Register 218, July 2016

Authority:AS 16.05.060

AS 16.05.251

AS 16.05.258