Section 5.05.331. Gillnet specifications and operations.

	(a)  A person may not operate  
		(1) set gillnet gear that exceeds 150 fathoms in aggregate length;  
		(2) drift gillnet gear that exceeds 50 fathoms in length.  
	(b)  In Districts 1 and 2, salmon may be taken only with gillnets of six-inch or smaller mesh during periods established by emergency order.  
	(c)  In District 3, salmon may be taken only with gillnets of six-inch or smaller mesh during periods established by emergency order.  
	(d)  In Districts 4 and 6, salmon may be taken only with gillnets of six-inch or smaller mesh during periods established by emergency order.  
	(e)  No gillnet gear may be operated in a manner to obstruct more than one-half the width of any waterway. In the intertidal zone, this restriction applies at all stages of the tide.  
	(f)  In Districts 4 - 6, gillnets with  
		(1) greater than six-inch mesh may not be more than 60 meshes in depth;  
		(2) six-inch or smaller mesh may not be more than 70 meshes in depth.  
	(g)  In Districts 1 - 3, gillnets with  
		(1) greater than six-inch mesh may not be more than 45 meshes in depth;  
		(2) six-inch or smaller mesh may not be more than 50 meshes in depth.  
	(h)  Notwithstanding (b) - (d) of this section, during times when the commissioner determines it to be necessary for the conservation of chum salmon, the commissioner, by emergency order, may close the fishing season in Districts 1 - 6 and immediately reopen the season during which a person may not take salmon with a gillnet that has a mesh size of less than eight inches.  
	(i)  In the Yukon Area, notwithstanding any other provision of this section that allows a person to take salmon with a gillnet that has a mesh size greater than seven and one-half inches, a person may not take salmon with a gillnet that has a mesh size greater than seven and one-half inches.  
	(j)  Notwithstanding the other provisions of this section, in Districts 1 - 3, during times when the commissioner determines that it is necessary for the conservation of king salmon, the commissioner may, by emergency order, close the fishing season and immediately reopen the season during which a person may take salmon only with a gillnet that has a mesh size of five and one-half inches or less and that is not more than 30 meshes in depth.  

Authorities

16.05.060;16.05.251

Notes

Reference

5 AAC 05.368

Authority

AS 16.05.060 AS 16.05.251

History

In effect before 1985; am 5/11/85, Register 94; am 4/2/88, Register 105; am 7/16/92, Register 123; am 7/3/94, Register 130; am 3/30/95, Register 133; am 6/7/2007, Register 182; am 5/19/2010, Register 194; am 7/13/2012, Register 203; am 4/13/2013, Register 206; am 5/22/2016, Register 218