Section 5 AAC 05.331 - Gillnet specifications and operations(a) Set gillnet gear may not exceed 150 fathoms in aggregate length.(b) Drift gillnet gear may not exceed 50 fathoms in length.(c) Salmon may be taken only with gillnets of six-inch or smaller mesh during periods established by emergency order.(d) No gillnet gear may be operated in a manner to obstruct more than one-half the width of any waterway. In the intertidal zone, this restriction applies at all stages of the tide. (e) In Districts 1 - 3, gillnets with(1) greater than six-inch mesh may not be more than 45 meshes in depth;(2) six-inch or smaller mesh may not be more than 50 meshes in depth.(f) In Districts 4 - 6, gillnets with (1) greater than six-inch mesh may not be more than 60 meshes in depth;(2) six-inch or smaller mesh may not be more than 70 meshes in depth.(g) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, during times when the commissioner determines it to be necessary for the conservation of a salmon species, the commissioner may, by emergency order, close the fishing season in Districts 1 - 6 and immediately reopen the season during which a person may take salmon with a gillnet that has a mesh size of seven and one-half inches.(h) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, in Districts 1 - 3, during times when the commissioner determines that it is necessary for the conservation of king salmon, the commissioner may, by emergency order, close the fishing season and immediately reopen the season during which a person may take salmon only with a gillnet that has a mesh size of five and one-half inches or less, and that is not more than 30 meshes in depth.(i) Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, and 5 AAC 01.249 and 5 AAC 05.359 - 5 AAC 05.369, during times when the commissioner determines that it is necessary for the conservation of a salmon species, the commissioner may, by emergency order, close the fishing season and immediately reopen the season specifying the area in which one or more of the following gear limitations may be implemented: (1) for fish wheels, as described in 5 AAC 05.333, the operator must closely attend the fish wheel while it is in operation, and all salmon must be immediately released to the water alive and must bypass any livebox unless retention is allowed by emergency order;(2) dip nets may be used as described in 5 AAC 05.362(k)(1)(A); all salmon caught with a dip net must be released to the water alive unless retention is allowed by emergency order;(3) a beach seine may be used as described in 5 AAC 05.362(k)(1)(B); all salmon caught with a beach seine must be released to the water alive unless retention is allowed by emergency order.In effect before 1985; am 5/11/85, Register 94; am 4/2/88, Register 105; am 7/16/92, Register 123; am 7/3/94, Register 130; am 3/30/95, Register 133; am 6/7/2007, Register 182; am 5/19/2010, Register 194; am 7/13/2012, Register 203; am 4/13/2013, Register 206; am 5/22/2016, Register 218, July 2016; am 5/24/2023, Register 246, July 2023Authority:AS 16.05.060
AS 16.05.251