Current through September 25, 2024
Section 5 AAC 34.020 - King crab area registration(a) In addition to the requirements of 5 AAC 39.120 and unless otherwise specified in this chapter, the vessel owner, or the owner's agent, shall validly register a king crab vessel for a king crab registration area before using that vessel to take king crab in that registration area and the exclusive economic zone adjacent to the registration area.(b) The king crab vessel registration year is June 28 - June 27.(c) The department shall issue a registration certificate to a king crab vessel if the vessel owner, or the owner's agent, completes a registration form available from the local representative of the department, and if the vessel is licensed and otherwise in compliance with AS 16 and this title. The vessel owner, or the owner's agent, shall sign the registration certificate when it is issued and shall keep it on board the vessel and immediately available at all times during fishing operations. The registration certificate must be shown upon request to any peace officer of the state.(d) In a king crab registration area, district, or section where tank inspections are required, a vessel registration is not valid until the vessel has had a tank inspection. A tank inspection is not complete unless, at the time of inspection, there is on board the vessel the holder of a valid CFEC interim use or limited entry permit, with the permit in possession, for the registration area or district and the king crab species for which the vessel is registered. Successful completion of the inspection validates the vessel's registration for a registration area. If an inspection is not required in a registration area, compliance with (c) of this section validates the registration.(e) A vessel shall be issued an inspection certificate upon successful completion of an inspection required by this chapter or 5 AAC 34.030. An inspection is not complete unless a current registration certificate for the king crab registration area is shown to the local representative of the department conducting the inspection. The vessel owner, or the owner's agent, shall sign the inspection certificate and shall keep it on the vessel and available at all times during fishing operations. The inspection certificate must be shown upon request to any peace officer of the state.(f) The department may invalidate a vessel registration to permit the vessel to be used to take crab in other king crab registration areas, except that once a vessel has been inspected for a superexclusive or exclusive registration area, the department may not invalidate a vessel registration in order to permit the vessel to be used to take king crab in another superexclusive or exclusive registration area.(g) Unless otherwise specified in this title, a vessel validly registered to take king crab in a king crab registration area may not be used to take any other species of crab in any other king crab registration area at the same time. A vessel may not be validly registered for more than one king crab registration area at a time.(h) A vessel owner, or the owner's agent, may register to take one or more species of king crab within a king crab registration area. A vessel registered for a specific species of king crab in a king crab registration area shall comply with all of the registration requirements in this section for that registration area.(i) The owner, or the owner's agent, of a vessel landing king crab in a registration area other than the area in which the vessel is validly registered at the time under this section shall attach the inspection certificate issued under (c) of this section to the back of the department copy of the fish ticket at the time the king crab are landed.(j) The commissioner may authorize late registration of a replacement king crab vessel in the event of the loss of a vessel registered for a specific king crab registration area. A replacement vessel authorized to register late shall be registered only for the king crab registration area in which the lost vessel was registered. In order to be authorized to register a replacement vessel under this subsection, the vessel owner, or the owner's agent, shall submit written documentation verifying the loss of the vessel. For purposes of this subsection, "loss of a vessel" means that due to sinking or destruction the vessel is incapable of being used to take king crab during the king crab season in the registration area for which the vessel is registered.(k) Unless otherwise specified in this chapter, a king crab vessel registration is invalid 24 hours following the closure of the season for that king crab registration area.(l) If a deadline for vessel registration for a king crab fishery falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or state holiday, the registration deadline is extended to 5:00 p.m. the next state working day.In effect before 1981; am 6/28/81, Register 78; am 7/25/82, Register 83; am 6/30/83, Register 86; am 6/30/84, Register 90; am 7/14/85, Register 95; am 7/12/86, Register 99; am 12/14/86, Register 100; am 7/23/88, Register 107; am 6/24/93, Register 126; em am 9/30/94 - 1/27/95, Register 132; am 11/6/96, Register 140; am 8/24/2002, Register 163