Section 5 AAC 31.020 - Shrimp area registration(a) In addition to the requirements of 5 AAC 39.120 and unless otherwise specified in this chapter, a vessel owner, or the owner's agent, shall (1) validly register all fishing gear to be used to take shrimp; and(2) register a vessel to fish for shrimp (A) for a nonexclusive registration area before using the vessel to fish for shrimp in the area; or(B) for an exclusive registration area before using the vessel to fish for shrimp in that area by registering the vessel before the first scheduled season opening date during the registration year.(b) Unless otherwise specified in this chapter, the shrimp registration year is April 15 through April 14.(c) The department will issue a registration certificate to a vessel that is to be used to fish for shrimp if the vessel owner, or the owner's agent, completes and submits to the department a registration form obtained from the local representative of the department and the vessel is licensed and otherwise complies with the requirements of AS 16 and of this title. The vessel owner, or the owner's agent, shall sign the registration certificate when it is issued, shall keep it on board the vessel and immediately available at all times during fishing operations, and shall show it upon the request of a peace officer of the state.(d) In a shrimp registration area, district, or section where a tank inspection is required, a vessel registration is not valid until the vessel has successfully completed a tank inspection. A tank inspection is not successfully completed unless, at the time of the inspection, a holder of a valid CFEC interim use or limited entry permit that covers the registration area, district, or section in which the vessel is registered is on board the vessel and has the CFEC interim use or limited entry permit in possession. A successfully completed tank inspection validates the vessel's registration for a registration area, district, or section. If a tank inspection is not required, compliance with (c) of this section validates the vessel registration.(e) The department may cancel a vessel registration for a registration area for the purpose of allowing the vessel to fish for shrimp in another registration area, except that once the department has inspected a vessel for (1) an exclusive registration area, the department may not cancel the registration to allow the vessel to fish for shrimp in any other registration area;(2) a nonexclusive registration area, the department may not cancel the registration to allow the vessel to fish for shrimp in an exclusive registration area.(f) The owner of a vessel, or the owner's agent, landing shrimp in a registration area other than the area in which the vessel is then validly registered shall attach the registration certificate issued under (c) of this section to the back of the department copy of the fish ticket at the time the shrimp are landed.(g) After the registration deadline, the commissioner may issue a registration certificate to a vessel to allow that vessel to fish for shrimp with a trawl and replace a vessel that was registered to fish for shrimp in a specific registration area, district, or section if the vessel that is replaced was lost. The commissioner may issue a registration certificate under this subsection to register the vessel only for the shrimp registration area for which the lost vessel was registered. To register a replacement vessel under this subsection, the vessel owner, or owner's agent, shall submit to the commissioner written proof that the vessel to be replaced was lost. In this subsection, a vessel is "lost" if, due to sinking or destruction, the vessel is incapable of being used to take shrimp with a trawl during the open shrimp season in the registration area, district, or section for which the vessel is registered.(h) Unless otherwise specified in this chapter, a valid registration to fish for shrimp in a registration area, district, or section expires when the shrimp fishing season for the registration area, district, or section is closed.In effect before 1982; am 7/25/82, Register 83; am 7/12/86, Register 99; am 12/14/86, Register 100; am 5/8/98, Register 146