Section 5 AAC 15.357 - Chignik Area Salmon Management Plan(a) he department shall manage the commercial salmon fishery in the Chignik Area in accordance with the guidelines set out in the management plan under this section. The goals of this management plan are to allow traditional fisheries in the area to be conducted on Chignik Area salmon stocks and to achieve the escapement goals for sockeye salmon and local stocks of pink, chum, coho, and king salmon. The department shall manage the Chignik area sockeye salmon fishery to achieve (1) an optimal escapement goal for Black Lake (early run) sockeye salmon of 300.000 to 400.000 fish:(2) an optimal escapement goal for Chignik Lake (late run) sockeye salmon of 240,000 to 360.000 fish.(b) In the Chignik Bay and Central Districts, and the Inner Castle Cape Subsection of the Western District, the commercial salmon fishery shall open concurrently based on escapement objectives for the Chignik Lakes' system sockeye salmon runs, except that (1) the commissioner may open, by emergency order, the commercial salmon fishery when 40,000 sockeye salmon have escaped into the Chignik River; however, if the department determines that a strong buildup of sockeye salmon exists in Chignik Lagoon and that 40,000 sockeye salmon will escape into the Chignik River, the commissioner may open, by emergency order, the commercial salmon fishery before 40,000 sockeye(2) during the period of transition from the predominance of the early-run sockeye salmon to that of the late-run sockeye salmon, usually late June through mid-July, the commissioner shall open and close, by emergency order, the fishing periods to harvest surplus early-run sockeye salmon without jeopardizing the late-run sockeye salmon escapement objectives;(3) from the end of the transition period described in (2) of this subsection until July 31. (A) the commissioner shall open and close, by emergency order, fishing periods in the Chignik Bay and Central Districts, and the Inner Castle Cape Subsection of the Western District, based on the Chignik Lakes' system sockeye salmon optimal escapement goals;(B) the commissioner may take additional emergency order actions to, protect or harvest local pink, chum, king, and coho salmon runs; (4) from August 1 until September 15, if the Chignik River late-run sockeye salmon escapement goats are being met weekly, fishing periods in the I Chignik Bay and Central Districts and the Inner Castle Cape Subsection of the Western District will run from 6:00 a.m. Monday until 10:00 p.m. Friday(c) In the Eastern District, (1) during June, the commercial salmon fishery will open concurrently with the Chignik Bay and Central Districts and the Inner Castle Cape Subsection of the Western District, and the openings shall be based on the department's expectation of achieving the Black Lake sockeye salmon optimal escapement goal;(2) from approximately June 26 through July 8, (A) the department shall evaluate the strength of the sockeye salmon late run; and(B) in order to continue managing the Black Lake sockeye salmon harvest and escapement, while assessing the Chignik Lake sockeye salmon run strength, commercial salmon fishing in the Eastern District will, in the department's discretion, be disallowed or severely restricted;(3) from the end of the transition period, described in (b)(2) of this section, until July 31, the department shall manage the commercial salmon fishery based on its evaluation of local pink and chum salmon runs, and the strength of the Chignik Lakes' system sockeye salmon;(4) after July 31, the department shall manage the commercial salmon fishery based on its evaluation of local pink, chum, and coho salmon runs or the strength of the Chignik Lake sockeye salmon run.(d) From June 1 through July 5, in the Western District, excluding the Inner Castle Cape Subsection, and in the Perryville District, the department may open the commercial salmon fishery concurrently with the Chignik Bay and Central Districts and the Inner Castle Cape Subsection of the Western District; during this time period the Perryville District may open lor no more than three 48 hour fishing periods with a minimum closure of 48 hours between each period; beginning July 6, the department may open the commercial salmon fishery in the Western District, excluding the Inner Castle Cape Subsection, and in the Pcrryyille District, except that, (1) from approximately late June to mid-July (transition period), (A) the department shall evaluate the strength of the sockeye salmon late run; and(B) in order to allow the department to assess the Chignik Lake run strength, the department may keep closed or severely restrict commercial salmon fishing in the Western District, except the Inner Castle Cape Subsection, and in the Perryville District;(2) from the end of the transition period, described in (b)(2) of this section, until July 31, fishing periods shall be based on the department's evaluation of local pink and chum salmon runs, and its evaluation of the Chignik Lake sockeye salmon run; from July 22 through July 31, (B) the commissioner may, by emergency order, open fishing in the following terminal harvest areas: (i) those portions of the Western and Perryville Districts north of a line from Cape Ikti at 56° 00.32' N. lat., 158° 32.02' W. long., to Coal Cape at 55° 53.42' N. lat., 159° 00.45' W. long., to Cape Alexander at 55° 47.22' N. lat., 159° 24.57 W. long.;(ii) waters in the Ivanof Bay Section of the Perryville District that are north of the latitude from Alexander Point at 55° 47.37' W. long., to Kupreanof Peninsula; and(iii) those portions of the Chignik Bay and Central Districts known locally as Jack's Box, which consists of those waters east of 158° 15.36' W. long., south of 56° 20' N. lat., and west of 158° 10' W. long.;(3) from August 1 to August 31, the department shall manage the fishing periods in the Outer Castle Cape Subsection. Chankliut Island Subsection. DeviPs Bay Subsection, Outer Kuiukta Bay area, Mitrofania Island area. Outer Ferryville Subsection and the Outer Humpback Bay Subsection based on the department's evaluation of local pink and chum salmon runs or the strength of the Chignik Lake sockeye salmon run;(4) from August 1 to August 31, the department shall manage the fishing periods in the Inner Kuiukta/Portage Bay area. Windy Bay area, Dorner Bay area, Mitrofania Bay area, Fishrack Bay area, Ivan Bay area. Coal Cape area. Inner Ferryville Subsection, Inner Humpback Bay Subsection, and the Ivanoff Bay Section based on the department's evaluation of local pink and chum salmon runs;(5) after August 31, the department shall manage fishing periods based on the department's evaluation of local pink, chum, and coho salmon runs.(f) For the purposes of this section, the (1) Inner Kuiukta/Portage Bay area is all waters in Portage Bay north and east of a line from 56° 06.78' N. lat., 158° 38.42' W. long., to 56° 06.58' N. lat, 158° 35.82' W. long.; (2) Windy Bay area is all waters northwest of 56° 05.49' N. lat., 158° 39.12' to 56° 06.78' N. lat., 158° 38.42' W. long.;(3) Domer Bay area is all waters south of the Inner Kuiukta/Portage Bay area and the Windy Bay area and north of 56° 01.11' N. lat., 158° 38.44' W. long., to 56° 02.22' N. lat., 158° 35.32' W. long.; (4) Outer Kuiukta Bay area is all waters of the Domer Bay Section south of the Domer Bay area;(5) Fishrack Bay area is all waters north of 55° 59.58' N. lat., 158° 46.70' and 55° 59.20' N. lat., 158° 43.92' W. long.;(6) Ivan Bay area is all waters north of 55° 59.40' N. lat., 158° 48.79' W. long., and 55° 58.41' N. lat., 158° 52.78' W. long.;(7) Mitrofania Bay area is all waters south of the Ivan Bay area and the Fishrack Bay area and north of 55° 57.01' N. lat., 158° 40.93' W. long., and 55° 54.71' N. lat., 158° 55.19' W. long.;(8) Coal Cape area is all waters north of 55° 54.71' N. lat., 158° 55.19' W. long., and 55° 53.42' N. lat., 159° 00.45' W. long.; (9) Mitrofania Island area is all waters of the Mitrofania Section south of the Mitrofania Bay area and the Coal Cape area.Eff. 5/29/99, Register 150; am 5/4/2002, Register 162; am 3/6/2003, Register 165; am 3/13/2005, Register 173; am 4/9/2005, Register 174; am 3/29/2008, Register 185; am 5/1/2011, Register 198; am 3/19/2014, Register 209, April 2014; am 2/22/2015, Register 213, April 2015; am 6/5/2016, Register 218, July 2016; am 5/31/2019, Register 230, May 2019; am 6/23/2023, Register 246, July 2023Authority:AS 16.05.060
AS 16.05.251