NOTICE OF PROPOSED CHANGES IN CERTAIN SUBSISTENCE

AND PERSONAL USE FISHERY HARVEST LIMIT REGULATIONS

OF THE ALASKA BOARD OF FISHERIES

The commissioner of the Department of Fish and Game, under a delegation of authority issued by the Alaska Board of Fisheries (board) under AS 16.05.270, proposes to adopt regulation changes in Title 5 of the Alaska Administrative Code (AAC), related to harvest limits for certain subsistence and personal use fisheries in the Norton Sound – Port Clarence Area, Yukon Area, Prince William Sound Area, including the upper Copper River drainage and upper Susitna River drainage, and the Southeastern Alaska Area, including the following:

(1)    5 AAC 01.180. Subsistence fishing permits is proposed to be changed to establish annual limits for salmon taken under a subsistence salmon fishing permit in the Norton Sound District and Port Clarence District of the Norton Sound – Port Clarence Area, which have previously been established under a subsistence salmon fishing permit.

(2)    5 AAC 01.645. Subsistence bag, possession, and size limits is proposed to be changed to establish bag, possession, and annual limits for fresh water finfish species taken under a subsistence fishing permit in the Prince William Sound Area, including the upper Copper River and upper Susitna River, which have previously been established under a subsistence fishing permit.

(3)    5 AAC 01.730. Subsistence fishing permits is proposed to be changed to clarify that in the Southeastern Alaska Area there is a possession limit of two king salmon taken incidentally in a subsistence fishery for other finfish species, which has previously been established under a subsistence fishing permit.

(4)    5 AAC 01.745. Subsistence bag and possession limit; annual limits is proposed to be changed to establish bag, possession, and annual limits for salmon taken under a subsistence salmon fishing permit in the Southeastern Alaska Area, which have previously been established under a subsistence salmon fishing permit. 

(5)    5 AAC 33.381. District 6: Wrangell Narrows – Blind Slough Terminal Harvest Area Salmon Management Plan is proposed to be changed to establish the possession and annual limit for coho salmon taken under a personal use salmon fishing permit in the Wrangell Narrows – Blind Slough Terminal Harvest Area, which has previously been established under a personal use salmon fishing permit.

(6)    5 AAC 77.190. Personal use whitefish and sucker fishery is proposed to be changed to establish the annual limit for whitefish taken under a personal use fishing permit in the Chatanika River in the Yukon Area, which has previously been established under a personal use fishing permit.

(7)    5 AAC 77.660. Personal use shrimp fishery is proposed to be changed to establish the personal use bag and possession limit for spot shrimp in Section 11-A of the Southeastern Alaska Area.

(8)    5 AAC 77.682. Personal use salmon fishery is proposed to be changed to establish bag, possession, and annual limits for salmon taken under a personal use salmon fishing permit in the Southeastern Alaska Area, which have previously been established under a subsistence salmon fishing permit.

You may comment on the proposed regulation changes, including the potential costs to private persons of complying with the proposed changes, by submitting written comments to Kevin J. Messing, Fishery Regulations Program Coordinator, Department of Fish and Game, P.O. Box 115526, Juneau, AK 99811-5526.  Additionally, the Department of Fish and Game will accept comments by facsimile at (907) 465-2604 and by electronic mail at kevin.messing@alaska.gov. The comments must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. on April 19, 2016.

If you are a person with a disability who needs a special accommodation in order to participate in this process, please contact Kevin J. Messing at (907) 465-6124 no later than April 12, 2016 to ensure that any necessary accommodations can be provided.

For a copy of the proposed regulation changes, contact Kevin J. Messing, Fishery Regulations Program Coordinator at the mailing address, telephone number, or email address above or go online on the board's website at http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=fisheriesboard.main.  The document marked as RC 35 from the Board of Fisheries January 12–16, 2016 meeting for Arctic/Yukon/Kuskokwim finfish, which contains the department's summary and limit justification for each limit in the proposed regulation changes and finding and delegation from the board, can also be found on the board's website.

After the public comment period ends, the commissioner of the Department of Fish and Game will either adopt the proposed regulation changes or other provisions dealing with the same subject, without further notice, or decide to take no action.  The language of the final regulations may be different from that of the proposed regulations. You should comment during the time allowed if your interests could be affected.

Statutory Authority:  AS 16.05.251; AS 16.05.270

Statutes Being Implemented, Interpreted, or Made Specific: AS 16.05.251

Fiscal Information: The proposed regulation changes are not expected to require an increased appropriation.

DATE: 3/18/16                                                ___________________________________

                                                            Glenn Haight, Executive Director

                                                            Alaska Board of Fisheries

                                                            Department of Fish and Game

ADDITIONAL REGULATIONS NOTICE INFORMATION

(AS 44.62.190(g))

1.         Adopting agency:  Alaska Board of Fisheries

2.         General subject of regulation:  Harvest Limits in Certain Subsistence and Personal Use Fisheries                                                                                                                  

3.         Citation of regulation (may be grouped): 5 AAC 01; 5 AAC 33; and 5 AAC 77

4.         Department of Law file number, if any:  JU2016200199

5.         Reason for the proposed action:

(   )      Compliance with federal law

(   )      Compliance with new or changed state statute

(X)      Compliance with court order

(   )      Development of program standards

(   )      Other (please list):                                                                                              

6.         Appropriation/Allocation: Natural Resources/Commercial Fisheries

7.         Cost of implementation to the state agency and available funding (in thousands of dollars):  No         costs are expected in FY 2016 or in subsequent years.

8.         The name of the contact person for the regulations:

Name:  Kevin J. Messing

Title:  Fishery Regulations Program Coordinator

Address:  P.O. Box 115526

Juneau, AK  99811-5526                                                       

Telephone:  (907) 465-6124

E-mail address:  kevin.messing@alaska.gov

9.         The origin of the proposed action:  Staff of state agency

10.       Date: 03/18/16                             Prepared by: __________________________

Name:    Kevin J. Messing                                             

Title:      Fishery Regulations Program Coordinator

              Department of Fish and Game                          

Telephone:    (907) 465-6124