Alaska Administrative Code › Title 5 - Fish and Game › Part 1 - Commercial and Subsistence Fishing and Private Nonprofit Salmon Hatcheries › Chapter 39 - General Provisions › Article 1 - General › 5 AAC 39.145 - Escape mechanism for shellfish and groundfish pots

Current through May 31, 2024
Pot gear must include an escape mechanism in accordance
					 with the following provisions:
(1) a
				  sidewall, which may include the tunnel, of all shellfish and groundfish pots
				  must contain an opening equal to or exceeding 18 inches in length, except that
				  in shrimp pots the opening must be a minimum of six inches in length; the
				  opening must be laced, sewn, or secured together by a single length of
				  untreated, 100 percent cotton twine, no larger than 30 thread; the cotton twine
				  may be knotted at each end only; the opening must be within six inches of the
				  bottom of the pot and must be parallel with it; the cotton twine may not be
				  tied or looped around the web bars; Durtgeness crab pots may have the pot lid
				  tie-down straps secured to the pot at one end by a single loop of untreated,
				  100 percent cotton twine, no larger than 60 thread, as a substitute for the
				  above requirement; the pot lid must be secured so that, when the twine
				  degrades, the lid will no longer be securely closed;
(2) all king crab, Tanner crab, shrimp,
				  miscellaneous shellfish and groundfish pots may, instead of complying with (1)
				  of this section, satisfy the following: a sidewall, which may include the
				  tunnel, must contain an opening at least 18 inches in length, except that
				  shrimp pots must contain an opening at least six inches in length; the opening
				  must be laced, sewn, or secured together by a single length of treated or
				  untreated twine, no larger than 36 thread; a galvanic timed release (GTR)
				  device, designed to release in no more than 30 days in salt water, must be
				  integral to the length of twine so that, when the device releases, the twine
				  will no longer secure or obstruct the opening of the pot; the twine may be
				  knotted only at each end and at the attachment points on the galvanic timed
				  release device; the opening must be within six inches of the bottom of the pot
				  and must be parallel with it; the twine may not be tied or looped around the
				  web bars;
(3) in an area open to
				  commercial, personal use, sport, or subsistence fishing with pot gear,
				  including a pot storage area, a registered commercial fishing vessel or a
				  vessel used for personal use, sport, or subsistence fishing may not have on
				  board the vessel or in the water, in fishing or stored condition, any
				  groundfish or shellfish pot gear that does not have an opening or rigging as
				  specified in this section;
(4) all
				  commercial, subsistence, personal use, and sport shellfish pots constructed
				  with rigid mesh must have at least one opening in a sidewall of the pot which
				  may include the tunnel, except Dungeness crab pots that have a pot lid tie-down
				  that complies with (1) of this section; the opening in a king crab or Tanner
				  crab pot must be equal to or exceed a 12-inch by 8-inch rectangle; the opening
				  in a Dungeness crab pot must be equal to or exceed a 10-inch by 6-inch
				  rectangle; the lower long edge of the opening must be parallel to, and within
				  six inches of, the bottom of the pot; the opening in a shrimp pot must be equal
				  to or exceed a four-inch square; the lower edge of the opening must be parallel
				  to, and within six inches of, the bottom of the pot; the opening may be covered
				  with a single panel secured to the pot with no more than four single loops of
				  untreated, 100 percent cotton twine, no larger than 30 thread; each single loop
				  of cotton twine may contain only one knot and may not be laced along the
				  opening; the panel must be attached to the pot in a manner that when the cotton
				  twine degrades the panel will drop away from the pot exposing the opening
				  completely.
(5) all commercial,
				  subsistence, personal use, and sport collapsible groundfish pots, commonly
				  known as slinky pots, must contain two openings in the mesh with each equal to
				  or exceeding 18 inches in length; the openings must each be laced, sewn, or
				  secured together by a single length of untreated, 100 percent cotton twine not
				  larger than 30 thread; the cotton twine may be knotted at each end only; the
				  openings must be on opposite sides of the pot; if placed on the tunnel side the
				  opening must be in an area that does not include the door opening, within six
				  inches of the edge of the pot.
Authority:
AS
						16.05.251
AS
						16.10.125