Section 5 AAC 35.308 - Registration Area E Tanner crab harvest strategy(a) In the Prince William Sound Area an estimate of the abundance of mature male Tanner crab (TM) for each district will be used to establish a guideline harvest level (GHL) for legal size male Tanner crab (TL), if the current estimated abundance of TM is above the minimum stock threshold for opening a fishery, as follows: (1) the commercial fishery may open in the Northeastern District only if TM is greater than or equal to 217,800 crab; the GHL will be determined as follows: (A) the GHL for TL may not exceed 10 percent of the estimated abundance of TM if TM abundance is greater than or equal to 217,800 but less than 326,700 crab;(B) the GHL for TL may not exceed 15 percent of the estimated abundance of TM if TM abundance is greater than or equal to 326,700 but less than 435,700 crab;(C) the GHL for TL may not exceed 20 percent of the estimated abundance of TM if TM abundance is greater than or equal to 435,700 crab;(D) the GHL for TL may not exceed 20 percent of TL abundance;(E) the GHL for TL may be reduced, or the commercial fishery closed, if the estimated commercial harvest would cause the estimated abundance of TM to fall below the minimum threshold;(2) the commercial fishery may open in the Central District only if the current estimated abundance of TM is greater than or equal to 246,700 crab; the GHL will be determined as follows: (A) the GHL for TL may not exceed 10 percent of the estimated abundance of TM if TM abundance is greater than or equal to 246,700 but less than 370,100 crab;(B) the GHL for TL may not exceed 15 percent of the estimated abundance of TM if TM abundance is greater than or equal to 370,100 but less than 493,500 crab;(C) the GHL for TL may not exceed 20 percent of the estimated abundance of TM if TM abundance is greater than or equal to 493,500 crab;(D) the GHL for TL may not exceed 20 percent of TL abundance;(E) the GHL for TL may be reduced, or the commercial fishery closed, if the estimated commercial harvest would cause the estimated abundance of TM to fall below the minimum threshold;(3) the commercial fishery may open in the Southwestern District only if the current estimated abundance of TM is greater than or equal to 327,000 crab; the GHL will be determined as follows:(A) the GHL for TL may not exceed 10 percent of the estimated abundance of TM if TM abundance is greater than or equal to 327,000 but less than 490,400 crab;(B) the GHL for TL may not exceed 15 percent of the estimated abundance of TM if TM abundance is greater than or equal to 490,400 but less than 653,900 crab;(C) the GHL for TL may not exceed 20 percent of the estimated abundance of TM if TM is greater than or equal to 653,900 crab;(D) the GHL for TL may not exceed 20 percent of TL abundance;(E) the GHL for TL may be reduced or the commercial fishery closed, if the estimated commercial harvest would cause the estimated abundance of TM to fall below the minimum threshold;(4) in the Northwestern and Southeastern Districts, if there is adequate data available, the department shall determine if there is a harvestable surplus of Tanner crab for the Northwestern and Southeastern Districts, and either district may open.(b) In implementing this harvest strategy, the board directs the department to use the best scientific information available and to consider the reliability of estimates of Tanner crab C.hairdi, the manageability of the fishery, and any other factors the department determines necessary to be consistent with the sustained yield principle.(c) For the purposes of this section: (1) "TM" means male Tanner crab that are 4.4 inches (113 mm) or greater in carapace width, that is the size of mature male Tanner crab in the Prince William Sound Area;(2) "TL" means male Tanner crab that are 5.0 inches (127 mm) or greater in carapace width, that is the legal size of Tanner crab allowed to be retained for harvest in the Prince William Sound Area;(3) "GHL" means guideline harvest level.(d) If a commercial fishery opens under this section in any district, a sport fishery will open in the same district as provided in 5 AAC 55.022(b)(3).Eff. 7/22/2017, Register 222, July 2017; am 3/27/2022, Register 241, April 2022