5 AAC 34 — King Crab Fishery (Article 1 to 14)

(a) A person or vessel that operates commercial, subsistence, personal use, or sport pots or ring nets, other than commercial shrimp pots or Dungeness crab pots, during the 14 days immediately before the scheduled opening date of the commercial king crab season in Registration Ar…

(a) In Registration Area D, during a king crab season, an operator of a vessel registered to fi sh in the commercial king crab fishery shall complete logbooks provided by the department. (b) Logbooks described in (a) of this section shall be (1) updated daily; (2) sealed in envel…

(a) If an inspection is required under (c) of this section, Registration Area D inspection points are located at Yakutat or at other locations specified by the department. (b) Unless required under (c) of this section, king crab vessel inspections, as specified in 5 AAC 34.030, a…

In addition to the reporting requirements in 5 AAC 34.075, 5 AAC 34.189, and 5 AAC 39.130, the commissioner may require an owner or operator of a vessel validly registered to fish in the commercial king crab fishery in Registration Area D to report to a local representative of th…

Registration Area E has as its western boundary a line running along the longitude of Cape Fairfield at 148° 50.25' W. long., south to the latitude of Cape Douglas at 58° 51.10' N. lat.. then west to 149° W. long., then south along 149° W. long., and as its eastern boundary the l…

Registration Area E is a superexclusive registration area. Notes 5 AAC 34.206 Eff. 11/6/96, Register 140 Authority:AS 16.05.251

The commercial taking of king crab in Registration Area E is closed until the king crab stocks have recovered enough for a harvest strategy to be developed by the department and adopted by the Board of Fisheries. Notes 5 AAC 34.210 In effect before 1982; am 7/25/82, Register 83; …

The guideline harvest range for golden king crab is 0 - 60,000 pounds. Notes 5 AAC 34.217 Eff. 7/23/88, Register 107; am 8/14/2005, Register 175; am 3/27/2022, Register 241, April 2022 Authority:AS 16.05.251

(a) Only male red and golden king crab seven inches or greater in width of shell may be taken or possessed. (b) Only male blue king crab 5.9 inches or greater in width of shell may be taken or possessed. Notes 5 AAC 34.220 In effect before 1981; am 6/28/81, Register 78; am 7/23/8…

(a) King crab may be taken only with king crab pots. King crab taken by other means must be returned to the water without further harm. (b) Trawls with a ground line not exceeding 60 feet may be used for taking bait. Notes 5 AAC 34.225 In effect before 1986; am 7/12/86, Register …

Notwithstanding 5 AAC 34.052, cone or pyramid king crab pots with all bait and bait containers removed and all doors not secured closed may be stored in the water only from 30 days before the scheduled opening date of the commercial king crab season in Registration Area E, until …

Registration Area E initial inspection points are located at Cordova and Valdez or at other locations specified by the department. Reinspection points are located at Cordova, Valdez, Seward or at other locations specified by the department. Notes 5 AAC 34.240 In effect before 198…

Registration Area H has as its eastern boundary the longitude of Cape Fairfield (148º 50.25' W. long.), and as its southern boundary the latitude of Cape Douglas (58º 51.10' N. lat.). Notes 5 AAC 34.300 In effect before 1988; am 11/6/96, Register 140; am 3/11/2001, Register 157 A…

Registration Area H districts are described in 5 AAC 21.200. Notes 5 AAC 34.305 In effect before 1988; am 11/6/96, Register 140 Authority:AS 16.05.251

(a) Registration Area H is a superexclusive registration area. (b) A king crab vessel must be registered for Registration Area H before the scheduled opening date of the commercial king crab season. Notes 5 AAC 34.306 Eff. 11/6/96, Register 140 Authority:AS 16.05.251

The commercial taking of king crab in Registration Area H is closed until the king crab stocks have recovered enough for a harvest strategy to be developed by the department and adopted by the Board of Fisheries. Notes 5 AAC 34.310 In effect before 1982; am 7/25/82, Register 83; …

Only male king crab seven inches or greater in width of shell may be taken or possessed, except that (1) repealed 8/24/2002; (2) male king crab less than seven inches in width of shell may be transported through or into the registration area for the purpose of delivery to a proce…

(a) Notwithstanding 5 AAC 34.050, king crab may be taken only with king crab pots and ring nets. King crab taken by other means must be returned to the water without further harm. (b) During the commercial king crab season in Registration Area H, an aggregate of no more than 75 k…

In addition to the requirements of 5 AAC 34.051, in Registration Area H, replacement of identification tags lost during the season is permitted if the vessel operator submits a sworn statement or affidavit, in person, at a department office in Registration Area H, describing how …

(a) Notwithstanding 5 AAC 34.052, rectangular king crab pots with all bait and bait containers removed and all doors secured fully open, and cone or pyramid king crab pots with all bait and bait containers removed and with all doors not secured closed, may be stored in the Kamish…

Registration Area H initial inspection points are located at Homer, Seldovia, and Seward. Reinspection points are located at Homer, Seldovia, Seward, and Kodiak or at other locations specified by the department. Notes 5 AAC 34.340 In effect before 1988; am 11/6/96, Register 140 A…

Registration Area K consists of all Pacific Ocean waters south of the latitude of Cape Douglas (58° 51.10' N. lat); west of 149° W. long., and east of a line extending south from Cape Kumlik along 157° 27.00' W. long. Notes 5 AAC 34.400 In effect before 1988; am 7/30/89, Register…

(a) Northeast District: all waters of Registration Area K northeast of a line extending from Cape Barnabas at 57° 09.07' N. lat, 152° 52.20' W. long, to a point offshore at 53° 26.20' N. lat., 151° 29,10' W. long., east of 153° 16.00' W. long, in Sitkalidak Strait, east of a line…

(a) Registration Area K is an exclusive registration area for red and blue king crab and a nonexclusive registration area for golden king crab. (b) Notwithstanding 5 AAC 34.005(b), 5 AAC 34.020(e), 5 AAC 34.506, and (a) of this section, only a vessel registered for the West Chign…

(a) The commissioner may open and close, by emergency order, a season for red and blue king crab beginning 12:00 noon September 25. (b) Repealed 8/14/2005. (c) Male golden king crab may be taken from January 1 through December 31 only under conditions of a permit issued by the co…

Only male red and blue king crab seven inches or greater, and male golden king crab six and one-half inches or greater, in width of shell may be taken or possessed, except that male king crab less than seven inches in width of shell may be transported through or into the registra…

(a) King crab may be taken only with king crab pots. King crab taken by other means must be returned to the water without further harm. (b) Each king crab pot must have at least one-third of one vertical surface of the pot composed of not less than nine-inch stretched mesh webbin…

Notwithstanding 5 AAC 34.052, cone or pyramid king crab pots with all bait and bait containers removed and all doors not secured closed may be stored in the water only from 30 days before the scheduled opening date of the commercial king crab season in Registration Area K, until …

Registration Area K inspection points are located at Kodiak or at other locations specified by the department. Notes 5 AAC 34.440 In effect before 1988; em am 8/27/91 - 12/24/91, Register 119; am 5/2/92, Register 122; am 11/6/96, Register 140 Authority:AS 16.05.251

(a) The Kodiak king crab fishery must be managed according to the guidelines set forth in this section. (b) To the extent possible individual king crab stocks must be managed as a single unit throughout their range. The department should avoid as much as possible small area closu…

Registration Area M consists of waters west of a line extending south from Cape Kumlik along 157° 27.00' W. long. and east of a line extending south from Scotch Cap Light along 164° 44.72' W. long. Registration Area M also includes all waters of Bechevin Bay and Isanotski Strait …

(a) Unimak Bight District: all waters of Registration Area M west of a line from Cape Pankofat 54° 39.60' N. lat., 163° 03.70' W. long. to Point Petraf at 54° 28.75' N. lat., 162° 49.42' W. long. and extending south from Point Petraf along 162° 49.42' W. long. (b) Central Distric…

Registration Area M is a superexclusive registration area. A vessel registered to take king crab in the West Chignik District may not be used to take king crab in any other king crab registration district in Registration Area M during the same registration year. Notes 5 AAC 34.50…

(a) The commissioner may open and close, by emergency order, a season for red and blue king crab beginning 12:00 noon September 25. (b) Male golden king crab may be taken from January 1 through December 31 only under conditions of a permit issued by the commissioner. (c) Repealed…

(a) Only male king crab six and one-half inches or greater in width of shell may be taken or possessed. (b) Repealed 8/14/2005. Notes 5 AAC 34.520 In effect before 1981; am 6/28/81, Register 78; am 6/30/84, Register 90; am 8/14/2005, Register 175 Authority:AS 16.05.251

(a) King crab may be taken only with king crab pots. King crab taken by other means must be returned to the water without further harm. (b) Each king crab pot must have at least one-third of one vertical surface of the pot composed of not less than nine-inch stretched mesh webbin…

Notwithstanding 5 AAC 34.052, king crab pots may not be stored in the water starting seven days following the closure of the South Peninsula and Chignik District commercial Tanner crab seasons until the scheduled opening date of the commercial king crab season in Registration Are…

Registration Area M inspection points are located at Kodiak and Dutch Harbor or at other locations specified by the department. Notes 5 AAC 34.540 In effect before 1988; em am 8/27/91 - 12/24/91, Register 119; am 5/2/92, Register 122; am 11/6/96, Register 140 Authority:AS 16.05.2…

(a) In the West Chignik District, a vessel engaged in the commercial king crab fishery may not be longer than 58 feet overall length. (b) For the purposes of this section, "overall length" means the straight line length between the extremities of the vessel, excluding anchor roll…

Registration Area O has as its eastern boundary the longitude of Scotch Cap Light (164° 44.72' W. long.), its western boundary the Maritime Boundary Agreement Line as that line is described in the text of and depicted in the annex to the Maritime Boundary Agreement between the Un…

The districts for the commercial red king crab fishery in Registration Area O are as follows: (1) Dutch Harbor District: all waters of Registration O between the longitude of Scotch Cap Light (164° 44.72' W. long.) and 171° W. long.; (2) Adak District: all waters of Registration …

(a) Registration Area O is a nonexclusive registration area for all king crab. (b) For the commercial red king crab fishery, the vessel registration deadline for the registration year is 21 days before that vessel begins fishing operations. Before a vessel may be registered under…

(a) The commissioner may open and close, by emergency order, a season for male red king crab in the (1) Adak District under 5 AAC 34.616, beginning 12:00 noon August 1 and ending no later than 11:59 p.m. February 15: (2) Petrel District and Dutch Harbor District, beginning 12:00 …

In accordance with 5 AAC 34.080, the Aleutian Islands Area golden king crab fishery shall be managed based on the following harvest strategy: (a) In that portion of the Registration Area O east of 174° W. long., the total allowable catch level shall be established as follows: (1)…

(a) In the Adak District, based on the best scientific information available, if the department determines that there is a harvestable surplus of (1) red king crab available in the waters of Alaska in the Adak District, the commissioner may, open, by emergency order, a commercial…

(a) Male red king crab six and one-half inches or greater in width of shell may be taken or possessed. (b) Only male golden king crab six inches or greater in width of shell may be taken or possessed. (c) Repealed 8/24/2002. Notes 5 AAC 34.620 In effect before 1981; am 6/28/81, R…

(a) King crab may be taken only with king crab pots. King crab taken by other means must be returned to the water without further harm. (b) Pots used to take golden king crab (1) must have at least four circular escape rings of five and one-half inches minimum inside diameter ins…