Section 5.28.150. Closed waters in Eastern Gulf of Alaska Area.

	(a)  The waters of Sitka Sound that are enclosed on the north by lines from Kruzof Island at 57_ 20.50' N. lat., 135_ 45.17' W. long. to Chichagof Island at 57_ 22.05' N. lat., 135_ 43' W. long., and from Chichagof Island at 57_ 22.58' N. lat., 135_ 41.30' W. long. to Baranof Island at 57_ 22.28' N. lat., 135_ 40.95' W. long., and on the south and west by a line running from the southernmost tip of Sitka Point at 56_ 59.38' N. lat., 135_ 49.57' W. long. to Hanus Point at 56_ 51.92' N. lat., 135_ 30.50' W. long. to the green day marker in Dorothy Narrows at 56_ 49.28' N. lat., 135_ 22.75' W. long. to Baranof Island at 56_ 49.28' N. lat., 135_ 22.60' W. long. are closed to the taking of lingcod. Lingcod taken in these waters must be immediately returned to the water unharmed.  
	(b)  Notwithstanding (a) of this section, lingcod may be retained as bycatch in the halibut longline fishery and for a permit holder's personal use in the commercial salmon troll fishery in the waters described in (a) of this section, as limited by the provisions of 5 AAC 28.173(a) and (e).  
	(c)  Groundfish may not be taken in the waters off Cape Edgecumbe enclosed by a box defined as 56_ 55.5' N. lat., 56_ 57' N. lat., 135_ 54' W. long., and 135_ 57' W. long.  
	(d)  The following waters are closed to the directed taking of demersal shelf rockfish:  
		(1) in the Sitka vicinity: the waters of Sitka Sound that are enclosed on the north by lines from Kruzof Island at 57_ 20.50' N. lat., 135_ 45.17' W. long. to Chichagof Island at 57_ 22.05' N. lat., 135_ 43' W. long., and from Chichagof Island at 57_ 22.58' N. lat., 135_ 41.30' W. long. to Baranof Island at 57_ 22.28' N. lat., 135_ 40.95' W. long., and on the south and west by a line running from the southernmost tip of Sitka Point at 56_ 59.38' N. lat., 135_ 49.57' W. long. to Hanus Point at 56_ 51.92' N. lat., 135_ 30.50' W. long. to the green day marker in Dorothy Narrows at 56_ 49.28' N. lat., 135_ 22.75' W. long. to Baranof Island at 56_ 49.28' N. lat., 135_ 22.60' W. long.;  
		(2) in the Ketchikan vicinity: all waters of Behm Canal, Clarence Strait, Tongass Narrows, Nichols Passage, George Inlet, Carroll Inlet, Thorne Arm, Revillagigedo Channel, and all contiguous waters enclosed by the latitude of Bushy Point Light, a line from Point Alava to the southernmost tip of Ham Island, a line from Cedar Point to Dall Head, and a line from Dall Head to a point in midstream Clarence Strait at the latitude of Dall Head to Caamano Point;  
		(3) in the vicinity of Craig and Klawock: all waters of Ulloa Channel north of the latitude of Waterfall Cannery, and all waters enclosed by a line from the southernmost tip of St. Philip Island to the northernmost tip of San Fernando Island, to Point Cangrejo.  
	(e)  Black rockfish may not be taken in a directed fishery in the following waters:  
		(1) Northern Southeast Outside Section between 57_ 37' N. lat. and 57_ 40' N. lat.;  
		(2) Central Southeast Outside Section,  
			(A) between 57_ 10' N. lat. and 57_ 03' N. lat.;  
			(B) the waters of Sitka Sound that are enclosed on the north by lines from Kruzof Island at 57_ 20.50' N. lat., 135_ 45.17' W. long. to Chichagof Island at 57_ 22.05' N. lat., 135_ 43' W. long., and from Chichagof Island at 57_ 22.58' N. lat., 135_ 41.30' W. long. to Baranof Island at 57_ 22.28' N. lat., 135_ 40.95' W. long., and on the south and west by a line running from the southernmost tip of Sitka Point at 56_ 59.38' N. lat., 135_ 49.57' W. long. to Hanus Point at 56_ 51.92' N. lat., 135_ 30.50' W. long. to the green day marker in Dorothy Narrows at 56_ 49.28' N. lat., 135_ 22.75' W. long. to Baranof Island at 56_ 49.28' N. lat., 135_ 22.60' W. long.;  
			(C) between 56_ 22.50' N. lat. and 56_ 18.70' N. lat.;  
		(3) Southern Southeast Outside Section between 54_ 56.70' N. lat. and 54_ 44.40' N. lat.   

Authorities

16.05.251

Notes

Reference

5 AAC 28.173

Authority

AS 16.05.251

History

Eff. 6/15/97, Register 142; am 5/31/98, Register 146; am 3/11/2001, Register 157; am 8/24/2002, Register 163; am 7/18/2003, Register 167; am 5/26/2006, Register 178; am 5/31/2009, Register 190; am 7/1/2015, Register 214