Alaska Administrative Code
Title 5 - Fish and Game
Part 1 - Commercial and Subsistence Fishing and Private Nonprofit Salmon Hatcheries
Chapter 38 - Miscellaneous Shellfish Fishery
Article 8 - Registration Area H (Cook Inlet)
5 AAC 38.318 - Southern District Hardshell Clam and Mussel Fishery Management Plan

(a) In the Southern District described in 5 AAC 38.305(b), clams and mussels may be taken from March 16 through May 14 and September 16 through October 31 at any time. From May 15 through September 15, clams and mussels may be taken only from 1:00 a.m. Monday through 11:00 p.m. Friday.

(b) Repealed 7/1/2006.

(c) The subdistricts of the Southern District will be open to commercial fishing in alternate years as follows:

(d) The annual guideline harvest level for hardshell clams in the Southern Districts is as follows:

(e) The annual commercial guideline harvest level shall be divided into equal allocations among the three fishing intervals, with any overage or underage carried over to the next fishing interval, except that no harvest allocation may be carried over into the next calendar year.

(f) If the commissioner determines it is necessary to reduce the sport and personal use harvest rate of hardshell clams to avoid exceeding the guideline harvest level, the commissioner may close, by emergency order, the sport and personal use clam seasons and immediately reopen the seasons during which the time, area, and bag and possession limits may be reduced.

(g) The annual guideline harvest level for mussels in the Southern District is 5,000 pounds.

(h) After harvesting hardshell clams in the Southern District, a person must complete a harvest map supplied by the department and return the completed harvest map to the department office in Homer, as follows:

(i) For the purposes of this section, "hardshell clams" means Pacific littleneck clams (Protothaca staminea)and butter clams (Saxidomus giganteus).