Current through August 30, 2024
(a) The purpose of
this management plan is to ensure adequate escapement and a harvestable surplus
of salmon into the Northern District drainages and to provide management
guidelines to the department. The department shall manage the commercial drift
gillnet fishery to minimize the harvest of Northern District salmon and Kenai
River coho salmon in order to provide all users with a reasonable opportunity
to harvest these salmon stocks over the entire run, as measured by the
frequency of inriver restrictions. The department shall manage the Central
District commercial drift gillnet fishery as described in this
section.
(b) The regular weekly
fishing periods are as described in
5
AAC 21.320(b). The fishing season
will open the third Monday in June or June 19, whichever is later.
(c) From July 9 through July 15,
(1) fishing during the first regular fishing
period and second regular fishing period is restricted to the Expanded Kenai
and Expanded Kasilof Sections of the Upper Subdistict and Drift Gillnet Area
1;
(2) at run strengths greater
than 2,300,000 sockeye salmon to the Kenai River, the commissioner may, by
emergency order, open one additional 12-hour fishing period in the Expanded
Kenai and Expanded Kasilof Sections of the Upper Subdistrict and Drift Gillnet
Area 1;
(3) additional fishing time
under this subsection is allowed only in the Expanded Kenai and Expanded
Kasilof Sections of the Upper Subdistrict.
(d) From July 16 through July 31,
(1) at run strengths of less than 2,300,000
sockeye salmon to the Kenai River, fishing during all regular 12-hour fishing
periods will be restricted to the Expanded Kenai and Expanded Kasilof Sections
of the Upper Subdistrict;
(2) at
run strengths of 2,300,000 - 4,600,000 sockeye salmon to the Kenai River,
(A) fishing during one regular 12-hour
fishing period per week will be restricted to one or more of the following
sections and areas:
(i) Expanded Kenai
Section of the Upper Subdistrict;
(ii) Expanded Kasilof Section of the Upper
Subdistrict;
(iii) Anchor Point
Section of the Lower Subdistrict;
(iv) Drift Gillnet Area
1;
(B) the remaining
weekly 12-hour regular fishing period will be restricted to one or more of the
following sections:
(i) Expanded Kenai
Section;
(ii) Expanded Kasilof
Section;
(iii) Anchor Point
Section;
(3) at
run strengths greater than 4,600,000 sockeye salmon to the Kenai River, one
regular 12-hour fishing period per week will be restricted to the Expanded
Kenai, Expanded Kasilof, and Anchor Point Sections;
(4) additional fishing time under this
subsection is allowed only in one or more of the following sections:
(A) Expanded Kenai Section;
(B) Expanded Kasilof Section;
(C) Anchor Point
Section.
(e)
From August 1 through August 15,
(1) fishing
during both regular 12-hour fishing periods per week will be restricted to one
or more of the following:
(A) Expanded Kenai
Section;
(B) Expanded Kasilof
Section;
(C) Anchor Point
Section;
(D) Drift Gillnet Area
1;
(E) Drift Gillnet Area
3;
(2) additional fishing
periods are allowed in one or more of the following:
(A) Expanded Kenai Section;
(B) Expanded Kasilof Section;
(C) Anchor Point Section;
(3) regular fishing periods will be
restricted to Drift Gillnet Areas 3 and 4 if
(A) the Upper Subdistrict set gillnet fishery
is closed under
5
AAC 21.310(b)(2)(C)(iii);
or
(B) the department determines
that less than one percent of the season's total drift gillnet sockeye salmon
harvest has been taken per fishing period for two
(f) From August 16 until closed by emergency
order, Drift Gillnet Areas 3 and 4 are open for fishing during regular fishing
periods.
(g) For the purposes of
this section,
(1) "Drift Gillnet Area 1"
means those waters of the Central District south of Kalgin Island at 60°
20.43' N. lat.;
(2) "Drift Gillnet
Area 2" means those waters of the Central District enclosed by a line from
60° 20.43' N. lat., 151° 54.83' W. long. to a point at 60° 41.08'
N. lat., 151° 39.00' W. long. to a point at 60° 41.08' N. lat.,
151° 24.00' W. long. to a point at 60° 27.10' N. lat., 151° 25.70'
W. long. to a point at 60° 20.43' N. lat., 151° 28.55' W.
long.;
(3) "Drift Gillnet Area 3"
means those waters of the Central District within one mile of mean lower low
water (zero tide) south of a point on the West Foreland at 60° 42.70' N.
lat., 151° 42.30' W. long.;
(4)
"Drift Gillnet Area 4" means those waters of the Central District enclosed by a
line from 60° 04.70' N. lat., 152° 34.74' W. long. to the Kalgin Buoy
at 60° 04.70' N. lat., 152° 09.90' W. long. to a point at 59°
46.15' N. lat., 152° 18.62' W. long. to a point on the western shore at
59° 46.15' N. lat., 153° 00.20' W. long., not including the waters of
the Chinitna Bay Subdistrict.
(h) The commissioner may depart from the
provisions of the management plan under this section as provided in
5
AAC 21.363(e).
Authority:AS
16.05.060
AS
16.05.251
