Section 5.31.145. Southeastern Alaska Area Pot Shrimp Fishery Management Plan.

	(a)  The purpose of the management plan under this section is to provide the department with direction for the management of the spot shrimp (Pandalus platyceros) and coonstripe shrimp (Pandalus hypsinotus) stocks in Registration Area A (Southeastern Alaska). The department shall manage the spot and coonstripe shrimp stocks for sustained yield according to the principles specified in the management plan under this section.  
	(b)  The department shall manage  
		(1) all the districts or portions of districts, in Registration Area A based on the harvest of spot shrimp, except that  
			(A) District 11 shall be managed based on the harvest of spot and coonstripe shrimp; and  
			(B) Districts 15 and 16 shall be managed based on the harvest of coonstripe shrimp;  
		(2) the spot and coonstripe shrimp fisheries within the guideline harvest ranges specified in 5 AAC 31.115 to  
			(A) maintain a number of age classes of shrimp to ensure the long-term viability of those stocks and reduce the dependence on annual recruitment;  
			(B) reduce fishing periods for shrimp stocks during the biologically sensitive periods of the shrimp's life cycle, such as egg hatch, growth, and recruitment, and when shrimp stocks are considered to be poor quality for the market place;  
			(C) reduce mortality of small shrimp of any species;  
			(D) maintain an adequate broodstock for the rebuilding of the shrimp stocks, if rebuilding becomes necessary.   
	(c)  Repealed 5/11/2012.  
	(d)  The commissioner may, by emergency order, open a shrimp fishing season from May 15 through July 31 (summer season) in a district where the guideline harvest range was not reached during the season specified in 5 AAC 31.110 (winter season).  
	(e)  The guideline harvest ranges for spot shrimp are specified in 5 AAC 31.115(1) - (10), and (12) - (14), and are based primarily on the average catch of pot shrimp from the 1990 - 1991 season through the 1994 - 1995 season.   
	(f)  Repealed 7/18/2003.  
	(g)  There are no specific guideline harvest ranges for coonstripe shrimp, but the allowable harvest of coonstripe shrimp will be based on the average catch of coonstripe shrimp in each district during the 1995 - 1996 season through the 1999 - 2000 season. The provisions of this subsection do not apply in Districts 15 and 16.  

Authorities

16.05.060;16.05.251

Notes

Reference

5 AAC 31.110

Authority

AS 16.05.060 AS 16.05.251 ________________________

History

Eff. 10/12/2000, Register 156; am 7/18/2003, Register 167; am 5/11/2012, Register 202; am 5/9/2015, Register 214