ADF&G: 2012 SOUTH ALASKA PENINSULA AREA & CHIGNIK AREA STATE-WATERS PACIFIC COD SEASON OPENINGS
Here’s the link to Commercial Fishery Announcements (Includes Subsistence and Personal Use) PDFs Published in the Last 7 Days.
Download “2012 SOUTH ALASKA PENINSULA AREA STATE-WATERS PACIFIC COD SEASON OPENINGS” as a PDF.
Download “2012 CHIGNIK AREA STATE-WATERS PACIFIC COD SEASON OPENINGS” as a PDF.
Text of the releases below:
2012 SOUTH ALASKA PENINSULA AREA
STATE-WATERS PACIFIC COD SEASON OPENINGS
The 2012 South Alaska Peninsula state-waters Pacific cod season for vessels using pot gear will
open at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, March 7, 2012 unless delayed by weather. Pot vessels are
restricted to operating no more than 60 pots. Buoy tags are required for all pot gear. Open and
unbaited pots may be stored in waters less than 25 fathoms deep prior to the start of the statewaters
pot season. Pot gear may not be baited or placed into waters deeper than 25 fathoms until
the pot season opens on March 7. The 2012 South Alaska Peninsula state-waters Pacific cod
guideline harvest level (GHL) is 15.45 million pounds. Pot vessels are allocated 85 percent of
the GHL or 13.13 million pounds.
The state-waters Pacific cod season for vessels using jig gear will open 48 hours after closure of
the Western Gulf of Alaska (WGOA) federal/parallel jig gear A-season, unless delayed by
weather. However, if the WGOA federal/parallel jig A-season has not closed by March 15,
ADF&G may close the WGOA parallel (0-3 nautical miles from shore) jig season and open the
South Alaska Peninsula state-waters jig season based on inseason assessment of effort, harvest
rate, or remaining federal/parallel jig quota. Jig vessels may not operate more than 5 mechanical
jig machines with no more than 30 hooks per line. Jig vessels are allocated 15 percent of the total
GHL or 2.32 million pounds.
All vessels participating in the South Alaska Peninsula state-waters Pacific cod season may not
exceed 58 feet in overall length. Vessel operators must obtain a miscellaneous finfish interim-use
permit card from the Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission and an exclusive state-waters
vessel registration from ADF&G prior to participating in the state-waters season. Registration
and buoy tags are available at ADF&G offices in Kodiak and Dutch Harbor, Trident Seafoods in
Sand Point, and Peter Pan Seafoods in King Cove.
WEATHER DELAYS
The state-waters season openings for pot or jig gear will be delayed for 24-hours if the National
Weather Service (NWS) 48-hour marine weather forecast for Area 155 issued at 4 a.m. on the
scheduled opening day for the pot season or the scheduled opening day for the jig season
contains gale force wind warnings (35 knots or higher). If a season opening is delayed and the
following day’s 4 a.m. 48-hour forecast again contains gale warnings, the season opening will be
delayed an additional 24-hours. Season opening delays may continue on a rolling 24-hour basis
for up to seven days beyond the initial opening date. After seven days, the pot or jig seasons will
open regardless of the NWS marine weather forecast for Area 155.
CATCH REPORTING
Vessel operators using pot gear during the South Alaska Peninsula Area state-waters Pacific cod
season must report the following information to ADF&G daily;
1) Fishing location;
2) Number of pot lifts for the previous 24-hour reporting period; and
3) Pounds of Pacific cod retained for the previous 24-hour fishing period.
Reports will be taken by ADF&G between 9:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m. each day by satellite
dispatch (7894). Vessels operators may also report by phone (907-486-1840) or email
(mark.stichert@alaska.gov). Vessels without satellite service may relay reports through other
fishing vessels or local processors. Encrypted code sheets will be issued to vessels relaying catch
information to maintain confidentiality. Vessel operators interested in making alternative
reporting arrangements are encouraged to contact ADF&G prior to the season opening.
For more information, contact the Alaska Department of Fish & Game in Kodiak at 486-1840.
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2012 CHIGNIK AREA STATE-WATERS PACIFIC COD SEASON OPENINGS
The 2012 Chignik Area state-waters Pacific cod season for vessels using pot gear will open at
12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, March 7, 2012. Pot vessels are restricted to operating no more than
60 pots. Buoy tags are required for all pot gear. Open and unbaited pots may be stored in waters
less than 25 fathoms in depth prior to March 1. Beginning March 1, open and unbaited pot gear
may be moved onto the fishing grounds (25 fathoms or greater); however pot gear may not be
baited until the pot season opens on March 7. The 2012 Chignik Area state-waters Pacific cod
guideline harvest level (GHL) is 10.98 million pounds. Pot vessels are allocated 90 percent of
the GHL or 9.88 million pounds.
The state-waters season for vessels using jig gear will open on March 15. Jig vessels may not
operate more than 5 mechanical jig machines with no more than 30 hooks per line. Jig vessels
are allocated 10 percent of the total GHL or 1.10 million pounds.
All vessels participating in the Chignik Area state-waters Pacific cod season may not exceed 58
feet in overall length. Vessel operators must obtain a miscellaneous finfish interim-use permit
card from the Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission and a superexlcusive state-waters vessel
registration from ADF&G prior to participating in the state-waters season. Registration and
buoy tags are available at ADF&G offices in Kodiak and Dutch Harbor, Trident Seafoods in
Sand Point, and the City Office in Chignik.
CATCH REPORTING
Vessel operators using pot gear during the Chignik Area state-waters Pacific cod season are
encouraged to report the following information to ADF&G daily;
1) Fishing location;
2) Number of pot lifts for the previous 24-hour reporting period; and
3) Pounds of Pacific cod retained for the previous 24-hour fishing period.
Reports will be taken by ADF&G between 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. daily by satellite dispatch
(7894). Vessels operators may also report by phone (907-486-1840) or email
(mark.stichert@alaska.gov). Vessels without satellite service may relay reports through other
fishing vessels or local processors. Encrypted code sheets will be issued to vessels relaying catch
information to maintain confidentiality. Vessel operators interested in making alternative
reporting arrangements are encouraged to contact ADF&G prior to the season opening.
For more information, contact the Alaska Department of Fish & Game in Kodiak at 486-1840.
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