(a) The purpose of
this management plan is to direct the department in the management of the sport
fishery for king salmon stocks in Anchor River, Deep Creek, and Ninilchik
River, using the Anchor River preseason forecast and inseason projections from
the Anchor River and Ninilchik River department monitoring projects of
salmon.
(b) The department shall
manage the sport fisheries in each drainage to achieve the sustainable
escapement goal (SEG) established for each of the three stocks while providing
sustainable fishing opportunities and maximizing the harvest of hatchery king
salmon. Additionally, the department shall manage the Ninilchik River to
prioritize collecting naturally-produced king salmon as defined in
5
AAC 56.122(c)(4) and hatchery
broodstock.
(c) In Anchor River and
Deep Creek,
(1) the area, seasons, bag,
possession, annual and size limits, and methods and means for king salmon are
described in
5
AAC 56.122;
(2) if the Anchor River preseason forecast is
less than the lower end of the sustainable escapement goal of 3,200 - 6,400
fish, the department shall close the Anchor River and Deep Creek to sport
fishing during the season as specified in
5
AAC 56.122(a)(2)(E) and (5)(D), and
from July 1 - July 15;
(3) if the
Anchor River preseason forecast is greater than the lower end of the
sustainable escapement goal of 3,200 - 6,400 fish and less than 4,800 fish, the
department shall close the sport fishery for king salmon in the Anchor River
and Deep Creek to the retention of king salmon and restrict gear to only one
unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure;
(4) if the Anchor River preseason forecast is
greater than 4,800 fish, the department may open the sport fishery for king
salmon in the Anchor River and Deep Creek as described in
5
AAC 56.122;
(5) if the Anchor River inseason projection
is less than the lower end of the sustainable escapement goal of 3,200 - 6,400
fish after June 1, the department shall close the Anchor River and Deep Creek
to sport fishing during the season as specified in
5
AAC 56.122(a)(2)(E) and (5)(D), and
from July 1 - July 15;
(6) if the
Anchor River inseason projection is greater than the lower end of the
sustainable escapement goal of 3,200 - 6,400 fish and less than 4,800 fish
after June 1, the department shall close the Anchor River and Deep Creek to the
retention of king salmon and restrict gear to only one unbaited, single-hook,
artificial lure;
(7) if the Anchor
River inseason projection is greater than 4,800 fish after June 1, the
department may open the sport fishery for king salmon in the Anchor River and
Deep Creek as described in
5
AAC 56.122.
(d) In the Ninilchik River,
(1) the area, seasons, bag, possession,
annual and size limits, and methods and means for king salmon are described in
5
AAC 56.122;
(2) the Ninilchik River is closed to the
retention of naturally-produced king salmon as defined in
5
AAC 56.122(c)(4) until the inseason
projection is greater than the number of naturally-produced king salmon needed
to meet the SEG and broodstock collection goals of this section; if the
projection is greater than the number of naturally-produced king salmon needed
to meet the SEG and broodstock collection goals, the commissioner may
liberalize the naturally-produced king salmon sport fishery by emergency
order;
(3) the commissioner may
further liberalize or restrict the Ninilchik River hatchery king salmon sport
fishery to provide more harvest opportunity or achieve the SEG and broodstock
collection goals by emergency order.
