(a) In the Prince
William Sound Area an estimate of the abundance of mature male Tanner crab
(TM) for each district will be used to establish a
guideline harvest level (GHL) for legal size male Tanner crab
(TL), if the current estimated abundance of
TM is above the minimum stock threshold for opening a
fishery, as follows:
(1) the commercial
fishery may open in the Northeastern District only if TM
is greater than or equal to 217,800 crab; the GHL will be determined as
follows:
(A) the GHL for
TL may not exceed 10 percent of the estimated abundance
of TM if TM abundance is greater
than or equal to 217,800 but less than 326,700 crab;
(B) the GHL for TL may
not exceed 15 percent of the estimated abundance of TM
if TM abundance is greater than or equal to 326,700 but
less than 435,700 crab;
(C) the GHL
for TL may not exceed 20 percent of the estimated
abundance of TM if TM abundance
is greater than or equal to 435,700 crab;
(D) the GHL for TL may
not exceed 20 percent of TL abundance;
(E) the GHL for TL may
be reduced, or the commercial fishery closed, if the estimated commercial
harvest would cause the estimated abundance of TM to
fall below the minimum threshold;
(2) the commercial fishery may open in the
Central District only if the current estimated abundance of
TM is greater than or equal to 246,700 crab; the GHL
will be determined as follows:
(A) the GHL
for TL may not exceed 10 percent of the estimated
abundance of TM if TM abundance
is greater than or equal to 246,700 but less than 370,100 crab;
(B) the GHL for TL may
not exceed 15 percent of the estimated abundance of TM
if TM abundance is greater than or equal to 370,100 but
less than 493,500 crab;
(C) the GHL
for TL may not exceed 20 percent of the estimated
abundance of TM if TM abundance
is greater than or equal to 493,500 crab;
(D) the GHL for TL may
not exceed 20 percent of TL abundance;
(E) the GHL for TL may
be reduced, or the commercial fishery closed, if the estimated commercial
harvest would cause the estimated abundance of TM to
fall below the minimum threshold;
(3) the commercial fishery may open in the
Southwestern District only if the current estimated abundance of
TM is greater than or equal to 327,000 crab; the GHL
will be determined as follows:
(A) the GHL for
TL may not exceed 10 percent of the estimated abundance
of TM if TM abundance is greater
than or equal to 327,000 but less than 490,400 crab;
(B) the GHL for TL may
not exceed 15 percent of the estimated abundance of TM
if TM abundance is greater than or equal to 490,400 but
less than 653,900 crab;
(C) the GHL
for TL may not exceed 20 percent of the estimated
abundance of TM if TM is greater
than or equal to 653,900 crab;
(D)
the GHL for TL may not exceed 20 percent of
TL abundance;
(E) the GHL for TL may
be reduced or the commercial fishery closed, if the estimated commercial
harvest would cause the estimated abundance of TM to
fall below the minimum threshold;
(4) in the Northwestern and Southeastern
Districts, if there is adequate data available, the department shall determine
if there is a harvestable surplus of Tanner crab for the Northwestern and
Southeastern Districts, and either district may open.
(b) In implementing this harvest strategy,
the board directs the department to use the best scientific information
available and to consider the reliability of estimates of Tanner crab
C.
hairdi, the manageability of the fishery,
and any other factors the department determines necessary to be consistent with
the sustained yield principle.
(c)
For the purposes of this section:
(1)
"TM" means male Tanner crab that are 4.4 inches (113 mm)
or greater in carapace width, that is the size of mature male Tanner crab in
the Prince William Sound Area;
(2)
"TL" means male Tanner crab that are 5.0 inches (127 mm)
or greater in carapace width, that is the legal size of Tanner crab allowed to
be retained for harvest in the Prince William Sound Area;
(3) "GHL" means guideline harvest
level.
(d) If a
commercial fishery opens under this section in any district, a sport fishery
will open in the same district as provided in
5
AAC 55.022(b)(3).
