Section 5 AAC 35.120 - BCS control measures(a) The department shall manage Tanner crab stocks in Registration Area A to minimize the spread, and to reduce the incidence, of bitter crab syndrome (BCS). The department shall identify areas of significant infection by BCS, in which the following restrictions apply: (1) a person shall contact a local representative of the department before fishing for Tanner crab in an area of significant infection by BCS and shall contact a local representative of the department before leaving the area; all fishing vessels shall deliver all Tanner crab harvested in an area of significant infection by BCS to a tender or processor, and may not discard the crab overboard;(2) an operator of a tender vessel shall contact a local representative of the department before operating in an area of significant infection by BCS; an operator of a tender vessel that takes crab on board in such an area (A) shall transport all Tanner crab harvested in the BCS area directly to a processing facility;(B) may not accept Tanner crab from fishing vessels after leaving the area;(C) shall hold Tanner crab infected with BCS in containers that do not contain circulating sea water.(b) By emergency order, the department may open the commercial Tanner crab season after October 1 in areas of significant infection by BCS.Eff. 6/24/93, Register 126; am 9/29/96, Register 139Authority:AS 16.05.060
AS 16.05.251