Alaska Administrative Code › Title 5 - Fish and Game › Part 1 - Commercial and Subsistence Fishing and Private Nonprofit Salmon Hatcheries › Chapter 27 - Herring Fishery › Article 4 - Southeastern Alaska Area (Registration Area A) › 5 AAC 27.131 - Gillnet specifications and operations for Southeastern Alaska Area

Current through May 31, 2024
(a) Except as
				  provided in (i) of this section, a vessel fishing for herring may not have more
				  than one herring gillnet on board or operated from any vessel taking herring. A
				  herring gillnet may not be longer than 50 fathoms.
(b) Herring gillnets must be set with an
				  anchor at each end.
(c) Each set
				  gillnet in operation must be buoyed at both ends and each buoy shall be plainly
				  and legibly marked with the permanent vessel plate number (ADF&G number) of
				  the vessel fishing the gear.
(d) A
				  herring gillnet may not be reset after the announced closing time. A herring
				  gillnet may not remain in the water for more than one hour after the closing
				  time. When the department projects that the guideline harvest level would be
				  exceeded in an open period less than one hour in duration, the commissioner
				  may, by emergency order, establish periods that may have an announced closing
				  time, and a herring gillnet may not remain in the water after that closing
				  time.
(e) A set gillnet may not
				  exceed 120 meshes in depth.
(f)
				  Repealed 7/13/2012.
(g) In addition
				  to the requirements of (c) of this section, a gillnet used to take or attempt
				  to take herring in a sac roe fishery must have one ADF&G identification tag
				  placed on the marked buoys at both ends of the net. The identification tag must
				  be placed on each marked buoy so that it is above the surface of the water. The
				  identification tags will be issued only by ADF&G personnel located on the
				  fishing grounds. Lost identification tags may be replaced upon submission of a
				  sworn statement describing how the tags were lost and a listing of their
				  numbers to the department. The identification tags are in effect for a single
				  season and new tags must be obtained before each fishing season.
(h) In the Southeastern Alaska Area,
				  "stretched measure" of herring net means the average length of any series of 10
				  consecutive meshes measured from inside the first knot and including the last
				  knot when wet. The 10 meshes, when being measured, must be wet and be an
				  integral part of the net, as hung. The 10 meshes shall be measured
				  perpendicular to the selvages. Measurements shall be made by means of a metal
				  tape measure while the 10 meshes being measured are suspended vertically from a
				  single peg or nail, supporting a one-pound weight.
(i) Two Southeast Alaska set gillnet CFEC
				  permit holders may concurrently fish from the same vessel and jointly operate
				  up to 75 fathoms of set gillnet gear as follows:
(1) before operating set gillnet gear jointly
				  both permit holders shall obtain buoy identification tags for dual operation
				  provided by the department under (g) of this section;
(2) when two Southeast Alaska set gillnet
				  CFEC permit holders fish from the same vessel and jointly operate a set
				  gillnet, the vessel must display its ADF&G permanent license plate number
				  followed by the letter "D" to identify the vessel as a dual vessel; the letter
				  "D" must be removed or covered when the vessel is operating with only one set
				  gillnet CFEC permit holder on board the vessel; the identification number and
				  letters must be displayed
(A) in letters and
				  numerals 12 inches high with lines at least one inch wide;
(B) in a color that contrasts with the
				  background;
(C) on both sides of
				  the hull; and
(D) in a manner that
				  is plainly visible at all times when the vessel is being operated;
(3) when two CFEC permit holders
				  jointly operate gear each permit holder
(A)
				  must be on board the fishing vessel and present at the fishing site as required
				  by 5 AAC 39.107(d) and (e);
(B) is responsible for ensuring that the
				  entire unit of gear is operated in a lawful manner.