5 AAC 33.384 - Lynn Canal and Chilkat River King Salmon Fishery Management Plan

(a) The purpose of the management plan in this section is to provide for the biological spawning escapement requirements of king salmon to the Chilkat River. It is the intent of the Board of Fisheries (board) that Chilkat River king salmon be harvested in the fisheries that have historically harvested them. The board, through this management plan, recognizes that the commercial drift gillnet fishery in Chilkat Inlet, and the subsistence fisheries in Chilkat Inlet and the Chilkat River, are directed primarily toward sockeye salmon but incidentally catch king salmon. A secondary goal of this management plan is to provide a reasonable opportunity to harvest sockeye salmon in the Chilkat Inlet and Chilkat River subsistence fisheries while minimizing the incidental harvest of king salmon. This management plan provides the department guidelines to preclude allocation conflicts between the various user groups of this resource. The department shall manage the Chilkat River king salmon stocks in a conservative manner consistent with sustained yield principles.

(b) The subsistence net fisheries in Chilkat Inlet north of a line extending from an ADF&G regulatory marker located approximately one mile south of Anchorage Point to an ADF&G regulatory marker located directly north of the Letnikof Cove boat ramp are closed through July 15. The subsistence net fisheries in the Chilkat River, excluding that portion of the river from Haines Highway mile 19 upstream to Well's Bridge, are closed from the third week of June through the fourth week of July.

(c) The department shall manage the commercial and sport fisheries in Lynn Canal to achieve an inriver run goal of 1,850 - 3,600 king salmon in the Chilkat River upstream of the department fish wheels located approximately adjacent to Haines Highway mile 9. The inriver run goal includes the following:

(1) a biological escapement goal of 1,750 - 3,500 three ocean age and older king salmon to the Chilkat River; and

(2) the incidental harvest of king salmon in the Chilkat River subsistence sockeye fishery.

(d) The department will evaluate the inriver run of king salmon based on the following:

(1) primarily, a preseason projected run of Chilkat River king salmon to Lynn Canal; and

(2) secondarily, inseason fisheries performance and inriver stock assessment programs.

(e) The department shall manage the commercial drift gillnet and troll fisheries in Lynn Canal and the sport king salmon fishery in Chilkat Inlet, as follows:

(1) the commercial troll fishery in Chilkat Inlet north of an ADF&G regulatory marker immediately north of Seduction Point is closed through July 14;

(2) if the projected inriver run of king salmon to the Chilkat River is less than 1,850 three ocean age and older fish, the commissioner shall, by emergency order,

(A) close the commercial drift gillnet fishery

(i) in Chilkat Inlet north of an ADF&G regulatory marker immediately north of Seduction Point through the first two weeks of the season specified in 5 AAC 33.310(c);

(ii) in Chilkat Inlet north of Glacier Point during the third and fourth week of the season specified in 5 AAC 33.310(c);

(iii) in Chilkat Inlet north of Cannery Point during the fifth week of the season specified in 5 AAC 33.310(c); and

(B) close sport fishing for king salmon

(i) in Chilkat Inlet north of an ADF&G regulatory marker immediately north of Seduction Point through June 30;

(ii) in Chilkat Inlet north of a line extending from an ADF&G regulatory marker located approximately one mile south of Anchorage Point to an ADF&G regulatory marker directly north of the Letnikof Cove boat ramp, through July 15; and

(iii) in the remainder of Chilkat Inlet north of Seduction Point, from July 1 through July 15;

(C) establish a sport bag and possession limit of one king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length;

(3) if the projected inriver run of king salmon to the Chilkat River is 1,850 - 3,600 fish, the commissioner shall, by emergency order,

(A) close the commercial drift gillnet fishery

(i) in Chilkat Inlet north of an ADF&G regulatory marker immediately north of Seduction Point through the first two weeks of the season specified in 5 AAC 33.310(c);

(ii) in Chilkat Inlet north of Glacier Point during the third week of the season specified in 5 AAC 33.310(c);

(iii) in Chilkat Inlet north of Cannery Point during the fourth week of the season specified in 5 AAC 33.310(c); and

(B) close sport fishing for king salmon in Chilkat Inlet north of a line extending from an ADF&G regulatory marker located approximately one mile south of Anchorage Point to an ADF&G regulatory marker directly north of the Letnikof Cove boat ramp from April 15 through July 15;

(4) if the projected inriver run return of king salmon to the Chilkat River is greater than 3,600 fish,

(A) the commissioner shall, by emergency order, close the commercial drift gillnet fishery

(i) in Chilkat Inlet north of an ADF&G regulatory marker immediately north of Seduction Point through the first week of the season specified in 5 AAC 33.310(c);

(ii) in Chilkat Inlet north of Glacier Point during the second week of the season specified in 5 AAC 33.310(c);

(iii) in Chilkat Inlet north of Cannery Point during the third week of the season specified in 5 AAC 33.310(c); and

(B) the commissioner shall, by emergency order, close sport fishing for king salmon in Chilkat Inlet north of a line extending from an ADF&G regulatory marker located approximately one mile south of Anchorage Point to an ADF&G regulatory marker directly north of the Letnikof Cove boat ramp from April 15 through July 15;

(C) the commissioner may, by emergency order, increase the bag and possession limits for king salmon in the waters of Chilkat Inlet north of Seduction Point.

Notes

5 AAC 33.384

Eff. 7/26/2003, Register 167

Authority:AS 16.05.060

AS 16.05.251