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SALT WATER SPORT FISHING GUIDES AND CREW PROHIBITED FROM RETAINING FISH IN 2008 IN SOUTHCENTRAL Alaska |
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Anchorage – The Alaska Department of Fish and Game announces that salt water sport fishing charter guides and crew are prohibited from retaining any fish species while paying clients are on board the vessel. In addition, the maximum number of lines that may be fished from a vessel engaged in guided sport fishing in salt waters may not exceed the number of paying clients on board the vessel. These restrictions go into effect at 12:01 a.m., Saturday, May 24, 2008, and will remain in effect through Monday, September 1, 2008. This prohibition applies to the salt waters of Southcentral Alaska, which are those waters from Cape Suckling west to the southern end of Kodiak Island, specifically: - All salt waters west of the longitude of Cape Suckling, including Prince William Sound and Cook Inlet, and waters of the Kodiak Island area north of a line running from Cape Aklek on the Alaska Peninsula to Cape Ikolik on the western shore of Kodiak Island; and north and east of a line running from Cape Trinity to Cape Sitkinak. The specific prohibition is: - A sport fishing guide and sport fishing crew member working on a charter vessel in the salt waters of Southcentral Alaska may not retain fish while clients are on board the vessel. The maximum number of lines that may be fished from a vessel engaged in guided sport fishing in salt waters may not exceed the number of paying clients on board the vessel. A fish when landed and killed becomes a part of the bag limit of the person originally hooking it. The Pacific halibut Guideline Harvest Level (GHL) for charter boat anglers within Southcentral Alaska was exceeded in 2004, 2005, and 2006. The 2007 guide harvest was projected to be less than the GHL, due in part to a Department EO issued in 2007 prohibiting retention of halibut and other fish by guides and crew members. While discussions are continuing between stakeholders, the Department, and the North Pacific Fishery Management Council to seek a long-term solution, it is recognized that federal action will not come soon enough to assure charter halibut harvests in IPHC Area 3A remain at or below the Area 3A GHL during 2008. These actions are effective May 24 through Sept 1, 2008 under the authority granted to the Department by the Board of Fisheries to regulate harvests within established allocation guidelines (5 AAC 75.003(4)). For more information about the sport fisheries in Southcentral Alaska, contact your local ADF&G office or visit: http://www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us For additional information contact Matt G Miller or Tom Vania, Regional Management Coordinators, (907) 267-2415 or 2131. END For additional information contact Matt Miller, Regional Management Biologist, (907)267-2415.
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Alaska Fishing News