Section 5 AAC 39.145 - Escape mechanism for shellfish and groundfish potsPot 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.In effect before 1984; am 6/30/84, Register 90; am 9/19/90, Register 115; am 4/30/91, Register 118; am 6/24/93, Register 126; am 7/15/93, Register 127; am 7/23/94, Register 131; am 5/19/2001, Register 158; am 8/24/2002, Register 163; am 7/31/2003, Register 167; am 7/1/2006, Register 178; am 7/13/2012, Register 203; am 8/27/2016, Register 219, October 2016; am 6/25/2023, Register 246, July 2023Authority:AS 16.05.251
AS 16.10.125