Current through September 25, 2024
Section 5 AAC 57.140 - Kenai River guiding and guided fishing requirements in the Kenai River Drainage Area(a) In addition to the requirements of 5 AAC 75.075 - 5 AAC 75.077, and before providing sport fishing guide services on the Kenai River, a sport fishing guide and vessel must be registered at the Soldotna office of the Department of Natural Resources, division of parks and outdoor recreation. Once registered, a vessel registration remains valid for the remainder of the calendar year, unless the vessel is de-registered with the Department of Natural Resources, division of parks and outdoor recreation.(b) Downstream from an ADF&G regulatory marker located at the outlet of Skilak Lake, a person may not sport fish from a registered guide vessel on any Sunday from May 1 through July 31, and on any Monday in July, except that a person may fish from a registered sport fishing guide vessel during the last two Sundays in May and the first Sunday in June under the terms of a permit issued by the commissioner, for approved charitable nonprofit organizations or for educational public service activities.(c) From May 1 through July 31, sport fishing from a registered sport fishing guide vessel downstream from an ADF&G regulatory marker located at the outlet of Skilak Lake is permitted only from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.(d) On the Kenai River, a person may not engage in guided sport fishing from a vessel unless the vessel has a current Alaska Department of Natural Resources, division of parks and outdoor recreation, guide sticker prominently attached to the exterior of the vessel.(e) On the Kenai River, a client may not engage in guided sport fishing unless the person guiding the client is in compliance with the provisions of (a) and (d) of this section.(f) A person may not book, contract, or arrange for guided sport fishing from a vessel, unless that person is in compliance with the provisions of (a) and (d) of this section.(g) During July, a person aboard a vessel used for guided sport fishing on the Kenai River downstream from an ADF&G regulatory marker located at the outlet of Skilak Lake may not sport fish from that vessel if more than five persons, including the sport fishing guide, clients, and other passengers are present on that vessel. (i) From July 31 or the end of the king salmon season, whichever is later, through November 30, sport fishing from a vessel that is registered with the Department of Natural Resources, division of parks and outdoor recreation, as a sport fishing guide vessel is restricted as follows: (1) downstream from the confluence of the Moose River and Kenai River, sport fishing on Mondays, except Labor Day, is prohibited;(2) upstream from the confluence of the Moose River and Kenai River, sport fishing for coho salmon on Mondays, except Labor Day, is prohibited; any coho salmon caught must be released immediately without further harm.(h) On the Kenai River, from January 1 through December 31, (1) a sport fishing guide may not sport fish from a vessel while a client is present or is within the sport fishing guide's control or responsibility, except that a sport fishing guide may provide assistance to a client with a disability in order to enable the client to engage in sport fishing; in this paragraph, "disability" has the same meaning given in 42 U.S.C. 12102(2)(A) and (C), as amended as of February 8, 1994;(2) the maximum number of fishing rods that may be operated may not exceed the number of clients on board the vessel.(i) From July 31 or the end of the king salmon season, whichever is later, through November 30, sport fishing from a vessel that is registered with the Department of Natural Resources, division of parks and outdoor recreation, as a sport fishing guide vessel is restricted as follows: (1) downstream from the confluence of the Moose River and Kenai River, sport fishing on Mondays, except Labor Day, is prohibited;(2) upstream from the confluence of the Moose River and Kenai River, sport fishing for coho salmon on Mondays, except Labor Day, is prohibited; any coho salmon caught must be released immediately without further harm.Eff. 10/1/2006, Register 179; am 6/4/2008, Register 186; am 8/1/2008, Register 187; am 5/18/2014, Register 210, July 2014; am 6/21/2020, Register 234, July 2020