5 AAC 27.409 - Central District Herring Management Plan

(a) The purpose of the management plan under this section is to allow the herring fisheries to occur in the Central District of the Cook Inlet Area while minimizing the bycatch of salmon and char.

(b) Herring fishing in the Central District will occur only in the waters of the Upper Subdistrict, Kalgin Island Subdistrict, Western Subdistrict, and Chinitna Bay Subdistrict.

(c) From April 20 through May 31, the commissioner may open and close, by emergency order, a herring fishery for one fishing period per week, to begin on or after Monday at 6:00 a.m. and closing on or before Friday at 6:00 p.m. A fishing period may not be more than 108 hours in duration. A fishing period may extend beyond May 31 if the fishing period began before May 31 and is not longer than 108 hours in duration.

(d) In order to participate, and before fishing, in the Central District herring fishery, a person must register with the department office in Soldotna. A person shall report fishing time and the amount of herring harvested, whether sold or retained for personal use, to the office in Soldotna by 12:00 noon, of the day following the harvest.

(e) In the Upper Subdistrict, a person may not fish for herring within 600 feet of the mean high tide mark on the Kenai Peninsula. The commissioner may, by emergency order, expand this closed area in order to minimize the bycatch of salmon and char.

(f) The guideline harvest range for herring is as follows:

(1) Chinitna Bay Subdistrict: 0 - 40 tons;

(2) Western Subdistrict: 0 - 50 tons;

(3) Kalgin Island Subdistrict: 0 - 20 tons;

(4) Upper Subdistrict: 0 - 40 tons.

Notes

5 AAC 27.409

Eff. 4/22/99, Register 150; am 3/8/2002, Register 161; am 6/11/2005, Register 174; am 6/4/2008, Register 186

The department office in Soldotna is located at 43961 Kalifornsky Beach Road, Suite B, Soldotna, Alaska.

Authority:AS 16.05.060

AS 16.05.251