All herring buyers and tender operators are required to register with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game office in Kodiak prior to buying or tendering herring in the Kodiak area. Approximately 370 tons of herring have been harvested in the Kodiak sac roe herring fishery at this time. After three fishing periods the accum sac roe harvest for Kodiak stands at 139 tons. After two fishing periods the area wide harvest now stands at 35 tons. There were no herring harvested during Kodiak s first fishing period.
Weather continues to remain cold.
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game in Kodiak has issued an emergency order describing the initial opening time, fishing periods by gear type, new section boundaries, and areas that will be open for the Kodiak sac roe herring fishery. The first fishing period will begin at NOON on Thursday, April 15 as described in the 1999 Kodiak Herring Sac Roe Harvest Strategy. Fishing time for gillnetters will be for 24-hour open periods beginning at NOON on the odd numbered days of the month. There will be a 24-hour closure for both gear types beginning at NOON on the even numbered days of the month. The remainder of the Kodiak Management Area will remain closed to commercial herring fishing for the entire sac roe season.