5 AAC 34.918 - Pribilof District blue king crab harvest strategy

(a) Notwithstanding 5 AAC 34.910(b) (1), in the Pribilof District, the commercial blue king crab fishery will open only if the department's analysis of preseason survey data indicates that the population of blue king crab

(1) contains an estimated spawning biomass of at least 13.2 million pounds for two consecutive years; and

(2) will result in a total allowable catch for the fishery, established under (b) of this section, of at least 0.5 million pounds, not including the community development quota (CDQ) established under 5 AAC 39.690; neither the commercial blue king crab fishery or the CDQ fishery will open if the minimum total allowable catch threshold is not met.

(b) The total allowable catch for the commercial blue king crab fishery is 10 percent of the estimated abundance of mature males or 20 percent of the number of legal males, whichever is less.

(c) In implementing this harvest strategy, the board directs the department to

(1) use the best scientific information available;

(2) consider the reliability of estimates of blue king crab;

(3) consider the manageability of the fishery; and

(4) consider any other factors the department determines necessary to be consistent with sustained yield principles.

(d) For the purposes of this section,

(1) "estimated spawning biomass" means the estimated biomass of all mature male and female blue king crab;

(2) "legal males" means all male blue king crab that are at least six and one-half inches in width of shell;

(3) "mature males" means all male blue king crab that are at least 120 millimeters in length of shell.

Notes

5 AAC 34.918

Eff. 12/6/2003, Register 168; am 8/14/2005, Register 175

Authority:AS 16.05.251