Section 5 AAC 64.070 - Kodiak Area Rockfish Management Plan(a) The purpose of the management plan under this section is to meet the Board of Fisheries' goal of stabilizing the sport harvest of black rockfish in the waters of the Kodiak Area, particularly in the areas of Chiniak Bay and Marmot Bay. Black rockfish will be managed for harvest levels within the established guideline harvest range until a time when survey abundance estimates suggest an increase in harvest is appropriate. Black rockfish also will be managed to attempt to prevent unintentional overharvest of other rockfish species. In recognition that commercial and sport users harvest the same populations of black rockfish, a management plan is also in place for commercial fisheries to maintain harvest within the guideline harvest range as specified in 5 AAC 28.466(h).(b) In the Kodiak Area rockfish sport fishery, (1) the guideline harvest range is 0 - 26,000 black rockfish;(2) the sport harvest will be estimated annually by the department using saltwater guide logbooks, statewide harvest survey data, and dockside sampling data;(c) If the harvest increases and it is anticipated that the upper bound of the guideline harvest range will be exceeded or has been exceeded, the commissioner may implement restrictions that may be necessary to restrict the increase of harvest in the sport fishery. When the commissioner finds that restrictions are necessary, the commissioner shall adopt one or more of the following restrictions: (1) implement an annual limit for nonresidents for rockfish;(2) reduce nonresident bag and possession limit for rockfish;(3) reduce the rockfish bag limit by area as specified by the department;(4) implement a rockfish season;(5) reduce the resident bag and possession limit for rockfish.Eff. 6/5/2020, Register 234, July 2020; am 4/21/2024, Register 250, July 2024Authority:AS 16.05.060
AS 16.05.251