Section 5.21.353. Central District Drift Gillnet Fishery Management Plan.

	(a)  The purpose of this management plan is to ensure adequate escapement 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 and Kenai River coho salmon in order to provide sport and guided sport fishermen 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, there are no mandatory area restrictions to regular fishing periods, except that if the Upper Subdistrict set gillnet fishery is closed under 5 AAC 21.310(b)(2)(C)(iii), or 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 consecutive fishing periods in the drift gillnet fishery, regular fishing periods will be restricted to Drift Gillnet Areas 3 and 4. In this subsection, "fishing period" means a time period open to commercial fishing as measured by a 24-hour calendar day from 12:01 a.m. until 11:59 p.m.  
	(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).  

Authorities

16.05.060;16.05.251

Notes

Reference

5 AAC 21.310

Authority

AS 16.05.060 AS 16.05.251

History

Eff. 6/11/2005, Register 174; am 6/4/2008, Register 186; am 9/12/2008, Register 187; am 5/21/2011, Register 198; am 6/12/2011, Register 198; em am 6/30/2011 - 7/13/2011, Register 199; am 11/25/2011, Register 200; am 5/18/2014, Register 210