Section 5.31.225. Lawful shrimp trawl gear for Registration Area E.

	(a)  In Registration Area E, a shrimp trawl must  
		(1) have a cod end composed completely of one and seven-eighths inch stretched mesh hung so that the bars of the mesh are horizontal and perpendicular to the mouth of the trawl; mesh size is determined by averaging 10 consecutive meshes beginning inside the knot of the first mesh and including the knot of the last; and    
		(2) be equipped with a finfish excluder device (FED); the FED must consist of a rigid grate with parallel bars spaced not more than two and one-half inches apart to exclude all fish and other objects, except those that are small enough to pass between its bars into the cod end of the trawl specified in this section; the FED in a shrimp trawl must be secured forward of the cod end in such a manner that it precludes the passage of fish or other objects into the cod end without the fish or objects having to first pass between the bars of the FED; the trawl must have an outlet to allow the escape of fish or other objects that are too large to pass between the bars of the grate; the posterior edge of this escape outlet must be at least as wide as the maximum width of the grate; the escape outlet must extend forward of the grate toward the mouth of the net.    
	(b)  Notwithstanding (a)(2) of this section, the operator of a shrimp trawl vessel who holds a Prince William Sound Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission sablefish permit, and has registered for the current year's sablefish fishery, must use a FED that consists of a rigid grate with parallel bars not more than four inches apart until the operator's sablefish quota has been harvested.  

Authorities

16.05.251

Notes

Reference

5 AAC 28.230

Authority

AS 16.05.251

History

In effect before 1988; am 9/19/90, Register 115; am 7/23/94, Register 131; am 5/8/98, Register 146; am 7/5/2000, Register 155; am 7/1/2006, Register 178