§242.27. Subsistence taking of fish.
36 C.F.R. § 242.27
Applicability.
Regulations in this section apply to the taking of fish or their parts for subsistence uses.
You may take fish for subsistence uses at any time by any method unless you are restricted by the subsistence fishing regulations found in this section. The harvest limit specified in this section for a subsistence season for a species and the State harvest limit set for a State season for the same species are not cumulative, except as modified by regulations in paragraph (e) of this section. This means that if you have taken the harvest limit for a particular species under a subsistence season specified in this section, you may not, after that, take any additional fish of that species under any other harvest limit specified for a State season.
You may not possess, transport, give, receive, or barter subsistence-taken fish or their parts that have been taken contrary to Federal law or regulation or State law or regulation (unless superseded by regulations in this part).
Methods, means, and general restrictions.
Unless otherwise specified in this section or under terms of a required subsistence fishing permit (as may be modified by regulations in this section), you may use the following legal types of gear for subsistence fishing:
A set gillnet;
A drift gillnet;
A purse seine;
A hand purse seine;
A beach seine;
Troll gear;
A fish wheel;
A trawl;
A pot;
A longline;
A fyke net;
A lead;
A herring pound;
A dip net;
Jigging gear;
A mechanical jigging machine;
A handline;
A cast net;
A rod and reel; and
A spear.
You must include an escape mechanism on all pots used to take fish or shellfish. The escape mechanisms are as follows:
A sidewall, which may include the tunnel, of all shellfish and bottomfish pots must contain an opening equal to or exceeding 18 inches in length, except that in shrimp pots the opening must be a minimum of 6 inches in length. The opening must be laced, sewn, or secured together by a single length of untreated, 100 percent cotton twine, no larger than 30 thread. The cotton twine may be knotted at each end only. The opening must be within 6 inches of the bottom of the pot and must be parallel with it. The cotton twine may not be tied or looped around the web bars. Dungeness crab pots may have the pot lid tie-down straps secured to the pot at one end by a single loop of untreated, 100 percent cotton twine no larger than 60 thread, or the pot lid must be secured so that, when the twine degrades, the lid will no longer be securely closed.
All king crab, Tanner crab, shrimp, miscellaneous shellfish and bottomfish pots may, instead of complying with paragraph (b)(2)(i) of this section, satisfy the following: a sidewall, which may include the tunnel, must contain an opening at least 18 inches in length, except that shrimp pots must contain an opening at least 6 inches in length. The opening must be laced, sewn, or secured together by a single length of treated or untreated twine, no larger than 36 thread. A galvanic timed-release device, designed to release in no more than 30 days in saltwater, must be integral to the length of twine so that, when the device releases, the twine will no longer secure or obstruct the opening of the pot. The twine may be knotted only at each end and at the attachment points on the galvanic timed-release device. The opening must be within 6 inches of the bottom of the pot and must be parallel with it. The twine may not be tied or looped around the web bars.
For subsistence fishing for salmon, you may not use a gillnet exceeding 50 fathoms in length, unless otherwise specified in this section. The gillnet web must contain at least 30 filaments of equal diameter or at least 6 filaments, each of which must be at least 0.20 millimeter in diameter.
Except as otherwise provided for in this section, you may not obstruct more than one-half the width of any stream with any gear used to take fish for subsistence uses.
You may not use live nonindigenous fish as bait.
You must have your first initial, last name, and address plainly and legibly inscribed on the side of your fish wheel facing midstream of the river.
You may use kegs or buoys of any color but red on any permitted gear in the following areas:
Kotzebue Area; and
Norton Sound-Port Clarence Area.
You must have your first initial, last name, and address plainly and legibly inscribed on each keg, buoy, stakes attached to gillnets, stakes identifying gear fished under the ice, and any other unattended fishing gear which you use to take fish for subsistence uses.
You may not use explosives or chemicals to take fish for subsistence uses.
You may not take fish for subsistence uses within 300 feet of any dam, fish ladder, weir, culvert or other artificial obstruction, unless otherwise indicated.
Transactions between rural residents. Rural residents may exchange in customary trade subsistence-harvested fish, their parts, or their eggs, legally taken under the regulations in this part, for cash from other rural residents. The Board may recognize regional differences and regulates customary trade differently for separate regions of the State.
Bristol Bay Fishery Management Area— The total cash value per household of salmon taken within Federal jurisdiction in the Bristol Bay Fishery Management Area and exchanged in customary trade to rural residents may not exceed $500.00 annually.
Upper Copper River District— The total number of salmon per household taken within the Upper Copper River District and exchanged in customary trade to rural residents may not exceed 50 percent of the annual harvest of salmon by the household. No more than 50 percent of the annual household limit may be sold under paragraphs (b)(11) and (12) of this section when taken together. These customary trade sales must be immediately recorded on a customary trade recordkeeping form. The recording requirement and the responsibility to ensure the household limit is not exceeded rests with the seller.
Customary trade of Yukon River Chinook salmon may only occur between Federally qualified rural residents with a current customary and traditional use determination for Yukon River Chinook salmon.
Transactions between a rural resident and others. In customary trade, a rural resident may exchange fish, their parts, or their eggs, legally taken under the regulations in this part, for cash from individuals other than rural residents if the individual who purchases the fish, their parts, or their eggs uses them for personal or family consumption. If you are not a rural resident, you may not sell fish, their parts, or their eggs taken under the regulations in this part. The Board may recognize regional differences and regulates customary trade differently for separate regions of the State.
Bristol Bay Fishery Management Area— The total cash value per household of salmon taken within Federal jurisdiction in the Bristol Bay Fishery Management Area and exchanged in customary trade between rural residents and individuals other than rural residents may not exceed $400.00 annually. These customary trade sales must be immediately recorded on a customary trade recordkeeping form. The recording requirement and the responsibility to ensure the household limit is not exceeded rest with the seller.
Upper Copper River District— The total cash value of salmon per household taken within the Upper Copper River District and exchanged in customary trade between rural residents and individuals other than rural residents may not exceed $500.00 annually. No more than 50 percent of the annual household limit may be sold under paragraphs (b)(11) and (12) of this section when taken together. These customary trade sales must be immediately recorded on a customary trade recordkeeping form. The recording requirement and the responsibility to ensure the household limit is not exceeded rest with the seller.
Customary trade of Yukon River Chinook salmon may only occur between Federally qualified rural residents with a current customary and traditional use determination for Yukon River Chinook salmon.
No sale to, nor purchase by, fisheries businesses.
You may not sell fish, their parts, or their eggs taken under the regulations in this part to any individual, business, or organization required to be licensed as a fisheries business under Alaska Statute AS 43.75.011 (commercial limited-entry permit or crew license holders excluded) or to any other business as defined under Alaska Statute 43.70.110(1) as part of its business transactions.
If you are required to be licensed as a fisheries business under Alaska Statute AS 43.75.011 (commercial limited-entry permit or crew license holders excluded) or are a business as defined under Alaska Statute 43.70.110(1), you may not purchase, receive, or sell fish, their parts, or their eggs taken under the regulations in this part as part of your business transactions.
Except as provided elsewhere in this section, you may not take rainbow/steelhead trout.
You may not use fish taken for subsistence use or under subsistence regulations in this part as bait for commercial or sport fishing purposes.
Unless specified otherwise in this section, you may use a rod and reel to take fish without a subsistence fishing permit. Harvest limits applicable to the use of a rod and reel to take fish for subsistence uses shall be as follows:
If you are required to obtain a subsistence fishing permit for an area, that permit is required to take fish for subsistence uses with rod and reel in that area. The harvest and possession limits for taking fish with a rod and reel in those areas are the same as indicated on the permit issued for subsistence fishing with other gear types.
Except as otherwise provided for in this section, if you are not required to obtain a subsistence fishing permit for an area, the harvest and possession limits for taking fish for subsistence uses with a rod and reel are the same as for taking fish under State of Alaska subsistence fishing regulations in those same areas. If the State does not have a specific subsistence season and/or harvest limit for that particular species, the limit shall be the same as for taking fish under State of Alaska sport fishing regulations.
Unless restricted in this section, or unless restricted under the terms of a subsistence fishing permit, you may take fish for subsistence uses at any time.
Provisions on ADF&G subsistence fishing permits that are more restrictive or in conflict with the provisions contained in this section do not apply to Federal subsistence users.
You may not intentionally waste or destroy any subsistence-caught fish or shellfish; however, you may use for bait or other purposes, whitefish, herring, and species for which harvest limits, seasons, or other regulatory methods and means are not provided in this section, as well as the head, tail, fins, and viscera of legally taken subsistence fish.
The taking of fish from waters within Federal jurisdiction is authorized outside of published open seasons or harvest limits if the harvested fish will be used for food in traditional or religious ceremonies that are part of funerary or mortuary cycles, including memorial potlatches, provided that:
Prior to attempting to take fish, the person (or designee) or Tribal Government organizing the ceremony contacts the appropriate Federal fisheries manager to provide the nature of the ceremony, the parties and/or clans involved, the species and the number of fish to be taken, and the Federal waters from which the harvest will occur;
The taking does not violate recognized principles of fisheries conservation, and uses the methods and means allowable for the particular species published in the applicable Federal regulations (the Federal fisheries manager will establish the number, species, or place of taking if necessary for conservation purposes);
Each person who takes fish under this section must, as soon as practical, and not more than 15 days after the harvest, submit a written report to the appropriate Federal fisheries manager, specifying the harvester's name and address, the number and species of fish taken, and the date and locations of the taking; and
No permit is required for taking under this section; however, the harvester must be eligible to harvest the resource under Federal regulations.
Fishing permits and reports.
You may take salmon only under the authority of a subsistence fishing permit, unless a permit is specifically not required in a particular area by the subsistence regulations in this part, or unless you are retaining salmon from your commercial catch consistent with paragraph (d) of this section.
If a subsistence fishing permit is required by this section, the following permit conditions apply unless otherwise specified in this section:
You may not take more fish for subsistence use than the limits set out in the permit;
You must obtain the permit prior to fishing;
You must have the permit in your possession and readily available for inspection while fishing or transporting subsistence-taken fish;
If specified on the permit, you must record, prior to leaving the fishing site, daily records of the catch, showing the number of fish taken by species, location and date of catch, and other such information as may be required for management or conservation purposes; and
If the return of catch information necessary for management and conservation purposes is required by a fishing permit and you fail to comply with such reporting requirements, you are ineligible to receive a subsistence permit for that activity during the following calendar year, unless you demonstrate that failure to report was due to loss in the mail, accident, sickness, or other unavoidable circumstances. You must also return any tags or transmitters that have been attached to fish for management and conservation purposes.
Relation to commercial fishing activities.
If you are a Federally qualified subsistence user who also commercial fishes, you may retain fish for subsistence purposes from your lawfully-taken commercial catch.
When participating in a commercial and subsistence fishery at the same time, you may not use an amount of combined fishing gear in excess of that allowed under the appropriate commercial fishing regulations.
Fishery management area restrictions—
Kotzebue Area. The Kotzebue Area includes all waters of Alaska between the latitude of the westernmost tip of Point Hope and the latitude of the westernmost tip of Cape Prince of Wales, including those waters draining into the Chukchi Sea.
You may take fish for subsistence purposes without a permit.
You may take salmon only by gillnets, beach seines, or a rod and reel.
In the Kotzebue District, you may take sheefish with gillnets that are not more than 50 fathoms in length, nor more than 12 meshes in depth, nor have a stretched-mesh size larger than 7 inches.
You may not obstruct more than one-half the width of a stream, creek, or slough with any gear used to take fish for subsistence uses, except from May 15 to July 15 and August 15 to October 31 when taking whitefish or pike in streams, creeks, or sloughs within the Kobuk River drainage and from May 15 to October 31 in the Selawik River drainage. Only one gillnet 100 feet or less in length with a stretched-mesh size from 2 1/2 to 4 1/2 inches may be used per site. You must check your net at least once in every 24-hour period.
Norton Sound-Port Clarence Area. The Norton Sound-Port Clarence Area includes all waters of Alaska between the latitude of the westernmost tip of Cape Prince of Wales and the latitude of Point Romanof, including those waters of Alaska surrounding St. Lawrence Island and those waters draining into the Bering Sea.
Unless otherwise restricted in this section, you may take fish at any time in the Port Clarence District.
In the Norton Sound District, you may take fish at any time except as follows:
In Subdistricts 2 through 6, if you are a commercial fishermen, you may not fish for subsistence purposes during the weekly closures of the State commercial salmon fishing season, except that from July 15 through August 1, you may take salmon for subsistence purposes 7 days per week in the Unalakleet and Shaktoolik River drainages with gillnets which have a stretched-mesh size that does not exceed 4 1/2 inches, and with beach seines;
In the Unalakleet River from June 1 through July 15, you may take salmon only from 8:00 a.m. Monday until 8:00 p.m. Saturday.
Federal public waters of the Unalakleet River, upstream from the mouth of the Chirosky River, are closed to the taking of Chinook salmon from July 1 to July 31, by all users. The BLM field manager is authorized to open the closed area to Federally qualified subsistence users or to all users when run strength warrants.
You may take salmon only by gillnets, beach seines, fish wheel, or a rod and reel.
You may take fish other than salmon by set gillnet, drift gillnet, beach seine, fish wheel, pot, long line, fyke net, jigging gear, spear, lead, or a rod and reel.
In the Unalakleet River from June 1 through July 15, you may not operate more than 25 fathoms of gillnet in the aggregate nor may you operate an unanchored gillnet.
Yukon-Northern Area. The Yukon-Northern Area includes all waters of Alaska between the latitude of Point Romanof and the latitude of the westernmost point of the Naskonat Peninsula, including those waters draining into the Bering Sea, and all waters of Alaska north of the latitude of the westernmost tip of Point Hope and west of 141° West longitude, including those waters draining into the Arctic Ocean and the Chukchi Sea.
Unless otherwise restricted in this section, you may take fish in the Yukon-Northern Area at any time. In those locations where subsistence fishing permits are required, only one subsistence fishing permit will be issued to each household per year. You may subsistence fish for salmon with rod and reel in the Yukon River drainage 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, unless rod and reel are specifically otherwise restricted in this paragraph (e)(3).
For the Yukon River drainage, Federal subsistence fishing schedules, openings, closings, and fishing methods are the same as those issued for the subsistence taking of fish under Alaska statutes (AS 16.05.060), unless superseded by a Federal special action.
In the following locations, you may take salmon during the open weekly fishing periods of the State commercial salmon fishing season and may not take them for 24 hours before the opening of the State commercial salmon fishing season:
In District 4, excluding the Koyukuk River drainage;
In Subdistricts 4B and 4C from June 15 through September 30, salmon may be taken from 6 p.m. Sunday until 6 p.m. Tuesday and from 6 p.m. Wednesday until 6 p.m. Friday;
In District 6, excluding the Kantishna River drainage, salmon may be taken from 6 p.m. Friday until 6 p.m. Wednesday.
During any State commercial salmon fishing season closure of greater than 5 days in duration, you may not take salmon during the following periods in the following districts:
In District 4, excluding the Koyukuk River drainage, salmon may not be taken from 6 p.m. Friday until 6 p.m. Sunday;
In District 5, excluding the Tozitna River drainage and Subdistrict 5D, salmon may not be taken from 6 p.m. Sunday until 6 p.m. Tuesday.
Except as provided in this section, and except as may be provided by the terms of a subsistence fishing permit, you may take fish other than salmon at any time.
In Districts 1, 2, 3, and Subdistrict 4A, excluding the Koyukuk and Innoko River drainages, you may not take salmon for subsistence purposes during the 24 hours immediately before the opening of the State commercial salmon fishing season.
In Districts 1, 2, and 3—
After the opening of the State commercial salmon fishing season through July 15, you may not take salmon for subsistence for 18 hours immediately before, during, and for 12 hours after each State commercial salmon fishing period;
After July 15, you may not take salmon for subsistence for 12 hours immediately before, during, and for 12 hours after each State commercial salmon fishing period.
In Subdistrict 4A after the opening of the State commercial salmon fishing season, you may not take salmon for subsistence for 12 hours immediately before, during, and for 12 hours after each State commercial salmon fishing period; however, you may take Chinook salmon during the State commercial fishing season, with drift gillnet gear only, from 6 p.m. Sunday until 6 p.m. Tuesday and from 6 p.m. Wednesday until 6 p.m. Friday.
You may not subsistence fish for salmon in the following drainages located north of the main Yukon River:
Kanuti River upstream from a point 5 miles downstream of the State highway crossing;
Bonanza Creek;
Jim River including Prospect and Douglas Creeks.
In Beaver Creek downstream from the confluence of Moose Creek, a gillnet with mesh size not to exceed 3 inches stretch-measure may be used from June 15 through September 15. You may subsistence fish for all non-salmon species but may not target salmon during this time period (retention of salmon taken incidentally to non-salmon directed fisheries is allowed). From the mouth of Nome Creek downstream to the confluence of Moose Creek, only rod and reel may be used. From the mouth of Nome Creek downstream to the confluence of O'Brien Creek, the daily harvest and possession limit is 5 grayling; from the mouth of O'Brien Creek downstream to the confluence of Moose Creek, the daily harvest and possession limit is 10 grayling. The Nome Creek drainage of Beaver Creek is closed to subsistence fishing for grayling.
You may take salmon only by gillnet, beach seine, dip net, fish wheel, or rod and reel, subject to the restrictions set forth in this section.
In the Yukon River drainage, you may not take salmon for subsistence fishing using gillnets with stretched mesh larger than 7.5 inches.
In Subdistrict 5D, you may take salmon once the mid-range of the Canadian interim management escapement goal and the total allowable catch goal are projected to be achieved.
Salmon may be harvested by dip net at any time, except during times of conservation when the Federal in-season manager may announce restrictions on time, areas, and species.
In District 4, if you are a commercial fisherman, you may not take salmon for subsistence purposes during the State commercial salmon fishing season using gillnets with stretched-mesh larger than 6 inches after a date specified by ADF&G emergency order issued between July 10 and July 31.
In Districts 5 and 6, you may not take salmon for subsistence purposes by drift gillnets.
In District 4, salmon may be taken by drift gillnet not more than 150 feet in length unless restricted by special action or as modified by regulations in this section.
Unless otherwise specified in this section, you may take fish other than salmon by set gillnet, drift gillnet, beach seine, fish wheel, long line, fyke net, dip net, jigging gear, spear, lead, or rod and reel, subject to the following restrictions, which also apply to subsistence salmon fishing:
During the open weekly fishing periods of the State commercial salmon fishing season, if you are a commercial fisherman, you may not operate more than one type of gear at a time, for commercial, personal use, and subsistence purposes.
You may not use an aggregate length of set gillnet in excess of 150 fathoms, and each drift gillnet may not exceed 50 fathoms in length.
In Districts 4, 5, and 6, you may not set subsistence fishing gear within 200 feet of other fishing gear operating for commercial, personal, or subsistence use except that, at the site approximately 1 mile upstream from Ruby on the south bank of the Yukon River between ADF&G regulatory markers containing the area known locally as the “Slide,” you may set subsistence fishing gear within 200 feet of other operating commercial or subsistence fishing gear, and in District 4, from Old Paradise Village upstream to a point 4 miles upstream from Anvik, there is no minimum distance requirement between fish wheels.
During the State commercial salmon fishing season, within the Yukon River and the Tanana River below the confluence of the Wood River, you may use drift gillnets and fish wheels only during open subsistence salmon fishing periods.
In Birch Creek, gillnet mesh size may not exceed 3 inches stretch-measure from June 15 through September 15.
In Racetrack Slough on the Koyukuk River and in the sloughs of the Huslia River drainage, from when each river is free of ice through June 15, the offshore end of the set gillnet may not be closer than 20 feet from the opposite bank except that sloughs 40 feet or less in width may have 3/4-width coverage with set gillnet, unless closed by Federal special action.
In the Jim River drainage, including Prospect and Douglas Creeks, you may harvest fish other than salmon with rod and reel only; the grayling harvest and possession limit is 10 per day.
In the Bonanza Creek drainage and a portion of the Kanuti River drainage (upstream from a point 5 miles downstream of the State highway crossing), you may harvest fish other than salmon with rod and reel only; the grayling harvest and possession limit is 10 per day.
In the Delta River drainage (excluding the Tangle Lakes system), you may harvest fish with rod and reel only.
In District 4, from September 21 through May 15, you may use jigging gear from shore ice.
You must possess a subsistence fishing permit for the following locations:
For the Yukon River drainage from the mouth of Hess Creek to the mouth of the Dall River;
For the Yukon River drainage from the upstream mouth of 22 Mile Slough to the U.S.-Canada border;
Only for salmon in the Tanana River drainage above the mouth of the Wood River.
Only one subsistence fishing permit will be issued to each household per year.
In Districts 1, 2, and 3, from June 1 through July 15, if ADF&G has announced that Chinook salmon can be sold in the commercial fisheries, you may not possess Chinook salmon taken for subsistence purposes unless both tips (lobes) of the tail fin have been removed before the person conceals the salmon from plain view or transfers the salmon from the fishing site.
In the Yukon River drainage, Chinook salmon must be used primarily for human consumption and may not be targeted for dog food. Dried Chinook salmon may not be used for dog food anywhere in the Yukon River drainage. Whole fish unfit for human consumption (due to disease, deterioration, and deformities), scraps, and small fish (16 inches or less) may be fed to dogs. Also, whole Chinook salmon caught incidentally during a subsistence chum salmon fishery in the following time periods and locations may be fed to dogs:
After July 10 in the Koyukuk River drainage;
After August 10, in Subdistrict 5D, upstream of Circle City.
Kuskokwim Area. The Kuskokwim Area consists of all waters of Alaska between the latitude of the westernmost point of Naskonat Peninsula and the latitude of the southernmost tip of Cape Newenham, including the waters of Alaska surrounding Nunivak and St. Matthew Islands and those waters draining into the Bering Sea.
Unless otherwise restricted in this section, you may take fish in the Kuskokwim Area at any time without a subsistence fishing permit.
For the Kuskokwim area, Federal subsistence fishing schedules, openings, closings, and fishing methods are the same as those issued for the subsistence taking of fish under Alaska Statutes (AS 16.05.060), except the use of gillnets with 6-inch or less mesh size is allowed before June 1 in the Kuskokwim River drainage, unless superseded by a Federal special action.
In Districts 4 and 5, from June 1 through September 8, you may not take salmon for 16 hours before or during and for 6 hours after each State open commercial salmon fishing period in each district.
In District 2, and anywhere in tributaries that flow into the Kuskokwim River within that district, you may subsistence fish for salmon with rod and reel 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, unless rod and reel are specifically restricted by this paragraph (e)(4).
You may not take subsistence fish by nets in the Goodnews River east of a line between ADF&G regulatory markers placed near the mouth of the Ufigag River and an ADF&G regulatory marker placed near the mouth of the Tunulik River 16 hours before or during and for 6 hours after each State open commercial salmon fishing period.
You may not take subsistence fish by nets in the Kanektok River upstream of ADF&G regulatory markers placed near the mouth 16 hours before or during and for 6 hours after each State open commercial salmon fishing period.
You may not take subsistence fish by nets in the Arolik River upstream of ADF&G regulatory markers placed near the mouth 16 hours before or during and for 6 hours after each State open commercial salmon fishing period.
You may only take salmon by gillnet, beach seine, fish wheel, dip net, or rod and reel subject to the restrictions set out in this section, except that you may also take salmon by spear in the Kanektok, and Arolik River drainages, and in the drainage of Goodnews Bay.
You may not use an aggregate length of set gillnets or drift gillnets in excess of 50 fathoms for taking salmon.
You may take fish other than salmon by set gillnet, drift gillnet, beach seine, fish wheel, pot, long line, fyke net, dip net, jigging gear, spear, lead, handline, or rod and reel.
You must attach to the bank each subsistence set gillnet operated in tributaries of the Kuskokwim River and fish it substantially perpendicular to the bank and in a substantially straight line.
Within a tributary to the Kuskokwim River in that portion of the Kuskokwim River drainage from the north end of Eek Island upstream to the mouth of the Kolmakoff River, you may not set or operate any part of a set gillnet within 150 feet of any part of another set gillnet.
The maximum depth of gillnets is as follows—
Gillnets with 6-inch or smaller stretched-mesh may not be more than 45 meshes in depth;
Gillnets with greater than 6-inch stretched-mesh may not be more than 35 meshes in depth.
You may not use subsistence set and drift gillnets exceeding 15 fathoms in length in Whitefish Lake in the Ophir Creek drainage. You may not operate more than one subsistence set or drift gillnet at a time in Whitefish Lake in the Ophir Creek drainage. You must check the net at least once every 24 hours.
You may take rainbow trout only in accordance with the following restrictions:
You may take rainbow trout only by the use of gillnets, dip nets, fyke nets, handline, spear, rod and reel, or jigging through the ice;
You may not use gillnets, dip nets, or fyke nets for targeting rainbow trout from March 15 through June 15;
If you take rainbow trout incidentally in other subsistence net fisheries and through the ice, you may retain them for subsistence purposes;
There are no harvest limits with handline, spear, rod and reel, or jigging.
All tributaries not expressly closed by Federal special action, or as modified by regulations in this section, remain open to the use of gillnets more than 100 yards upstream from their confluence with the Kuskokwim River.
Bristol Bay Area. The Bristol Bay Area includes all waters of Bristol Bay, including drainages enclosed by a line from Cape Newenham to Cape Menshikof.
Unless restricted in this section, or unless under the terms of a subsistence fishing permit, you may take fish at any time in the Bristol Bay area.
You may not take salmon from waters within 300 feet of a stream mouth.
You may not subsistence fish with nets in the Tazimina River and within one-fourth mile of the terminus of those waters during the period from September 1 through June 14.
Unless otherwise specified, you may take salmon by set gillnet, beach seine, and dip net.
You may take salmon by snagging (by handline or rod and reel), cast net, spear, bow and arrow, or capturing by bare hand within the Togiak National Wildlife Refuge in the Bristol Bay Area.
You may also use drift gillnets not greater than 10 fathoms in length to take salmon in the Togiak River in the first 2 river miles upstream from the mouth of the Togiak River to the ADF&G regulatory markers.
You may also take salmon without a permit in Sixmile Lake and its tributaries within and adjacent to the exterior boundaries of Lake Clark National Park and Preserve unless otherwise prohibited, and Lake Clark and its tributaries, by snagging (by handline or rod and reel), using a spear, bow and arrow, rod and reel, or capturing by bare hand.
You may also take salmon by beach seines not exceeding 25 fathoms in length and by drift gill nets in Lake Clark and Sixmile Lake, excluding tributaries.
You may also take fish (except rainbow trout) with a fyke net and lead in tributaries of Lake Clark and the tributaries of Sixmile Lake within and adjacent to the exterior boundaries of Lake Clark National Park and Preserve unless otherwise prohibited.
(1) You may use a fyke net and lead only with a permit issued by the Federal in-season manager.
(2) All fyke nets and leads must be attended at all times while in use.
(3) All materials used to construct the fyke net and lead must be made of wood and be removed from the water when the fyke net and lead is no longer in use.
The maximum lengths for set gillnets used to take salmon are as follows—
You may not use set gillnets exceeding 10 fathoms in length in the Egegik River;
In the remaining waters of the area, you may not use set gillnets exceeding 25 fathoms in length.
You may not operate any part of a set gillnet within 300 feet of any part of another set gillnet.
You must stake and buoy each set gillnet. Instead of having the identifying information on a keg or buoy attached to the gillnet, you may plainly and legibly inscribe your first initial, last name, and subsistence permit number on a sign at or near the set gillnet.
You may not operate or assist in operating subsistence salmon net gear while simultaneously operating or assisting in operating commercial salmon net gear.
You may take fish other than salmon, herring, and capelin by gear listed in this part unless restricted under the terms of a subsistence fishing permit.
You may take salmon only under authority of a State subsistence salmon permit (permits are issued by ADF&G) except when using a Federal permit for fyke net and lead.
Only one State subsistence fishing permit for salmon and one Federal permit for use of a fyke net and lead for all fish (except rainbow trout) may be issued to each household per year.
You may take rainbow trout only by rod and reel or jigging gear. Rainbow trout daily harvest and possession limits are two per day/two in possession with no size limit from April 10 through October 31 and five per day/five in possession with no size limit from November 1 through April 9.
If you take rainbow trout incidentally in other subsistence net fisheries, or through the ice, you may retain them for subsistence purposes.
Aleutian Islands Area. The Aleutian Islands Area includes all waters of Alaska west of the longitude of the tip of Cape Sarichef, east of 172° East longitude, and south of 54°36′ North latitude.
You may take fish other than salmon and rainbow/steelhead trout at any time. If you take rainbow/steelhead trout incidentally in other subsistence fisheries, you may retain them for subsistence purposes.
In the Unalaska District, you may take salmon for subsistence purposes from 6 a.m. until 9 p.m. from January 1 through December 31.
In the Adak, Akutan, Atka-Amlia, and Umnak Districts, you may take salmon at any time.
You may not subsistence fish for salmon in the following waters:
The waters of Unalaska Lake, its tributaries, and outlet stream;
The waters of Summers and Morris Lakes and their tributaries and outlet streams;
All streams supporting anadromous fish runs that flow into Unalaska Bay south of a line from the northern tip of Cape Cheerful to the northern tip of Kalekta Point; and
Waters of McLees Lake and its tributaries and outlet stream.
You may not take fish by net in freshwater on Adak and Kagalaska islands.
In the Unalaska District, if you fish with a net, you must be physically present at the net at all times when the net is being used.
A subsistence fishing permit is necessary to fish for salmon, trout, and char, except that you do not need a permit in the Akutan, Umnak, and Atka-Amlia Islands Districts.
You may take no more than 250 salmon for subsistence purposes, except that in the Unalaska and Adak Districts, you may take no more than 25 salmon plus an additional 25 salmon for each member of your household listed on the permit. You may obtain an additional permit.
Alaska Peninsula Area. The Alaska Peninsula Area includes all waters of Alaska on the north side of the Alaska peninsula southwest of a line from Cape Menshikof (57°28.34′ North latitude, 157°55.84′ West longitude) to Cape Newenham (58°39.00′ North latitude, 162° West longitude) and east of the longitude of Cape Sarichef Light (164°55.70′ West longitude) and on the south side of the Alaska Peninsula from a line extending from Scotch Cape through the easternmost tip of Ugamak Island to a line extending 135° southeast from Kupreanof Point (55°33.98′ North latitude, 159°35.88′ West longitude).
You may take fish, other than rainbow/steelhead trout, at any time. If you take rainbow/steelhead trout incidentally in subsistence fisheries, you may retain them for subsistence purposes.
A subsistence fishing permit is required to take salmon, trout, and char; except a permit is not necessary to take salmon by snagging (by handline or rod and reel), using a spear, bow and arrow, or capturing by bare hand.
You may not take fish by net in freshwaters of Russell Creek and Trout Creek drainages.
You may take no more than 250 salmon annually for subsistence purposes within the Alaska Peninsula Area. In the Russell Creek or Trout Creek drainages, for each household member listed on the permit, you may take no more than:
King salmon— (1) 20 inches or greater in length—2 fish daily;
(2) Less than 20 inches in length—10 fish daily.
Salmon, other than king salmon— (1) 20 inches or greater in length—5 fish daily;
(2) Less than 20 inches in length—10 fish daily.
Chignik Area. The Chignik Area includes all waters of Alaska on the south side of the Alaska Peninsula bounded by a line extending 135° southeast for 3 miles from a point near Kilokak Rocks at 57°10.34′ North latitude, 156°20.22′ West longitude (the longitude of the southern entrance to Imuya Bay) then due south, and a line extending 135° southeast from Kupreanof Point at 55°33.98′ North latitude, 159°35.88′ West longitude.
You may take fish other than salmon, rainbow/steelhead trout, or char at any time, except as may be specified by a subsistence fishing permit. For salmon, Federal subsistence fishing openings, closings and fishing methods are the same as those issued for the subsistence taking of fish under Alaska Statutes (AS 16.05.060), unless superseded by a Federal Special Action. Within the Chignik Area, depending upon the area that you may fish, in addition to a State subsistence fishing permit, you may be required to also have a Federal subsistence permit. If you take rainbow/steelhead trout incidentally in other subsistence net fisheries, you may retain them for subsistence purposes.
You may take salmon in the Chignik River, with rod and reel, from a point 300 feet upstream of the ADF&G weir to Chignik Lake from January 1 through August 9, with no daily harvest or possession limit under the authority of a Federal subsistence fishing permit. You may take salmon by gillnet in Black Lake or any tributary to Black or Chignik Lakes with a Federal subsistence fishing permit. You may take salmon in the waters of Clark River and Home Creek from their confluence with Chignik Lake upstream 1 mile. In the open waters of Clark River and Home Creek you may take salmon by snagging (handline or rod and reel), spear, bow and arrow, or capture by hand without a permit. The daily harvest and possession limits using these methods are five per day and five in possession.
You may take salmon, trout, and char only under the authority of a subsistence fishing permit unless otherwise indicated in this section or as noted in the permit conditions.
You must keep a record on your permit of subsistence-caught fish. You must complete the record immediately upon taking subsistence-caught fish and must return it no later than the due date listed on the permit.
If you hold a commercial fishing license, you may only subsistence fish for salmon as specified on a subsistence fishing permit.
You may take salmon by seines, gillnets, rod and reel, or with gear specified on a subsistence fishing permit, except that in Chignik Lake, you may not use purse seines. You may also take salmon without a permit by snagging (by handline or rod and reel), using a spear, bow and arrow, or capturing by bare hand.
You may take fish other than salmon by gear listed in this part unless restricted under the terms of a subsistence fishing permit.
You may take no more than 250 salmon for subsistence purposes unless otherwise specified on the subsistence fishing permit.
Kodiak Area. The Kodiak Area includes all waters of Alaska south of a line extending east from Cape Douglas (58°51.10′ North latitude), west of 150° West longitude, north of 55°30.00′ North latitude, and north and east of a line extending 135° southeast for 3 miles from a point near Kilokak Rocks at 57°10.34′ North latitude, 156°20.22′ West longitude (the longitude of the southern entrance of Imuya Bay), then due south.
You may take fish other than salmon, rainbow/steelhead trout, char, bottomfish, or herring at any time unless restricted by the terms of a subsistence fishing permit. If you take rainbow/steelhead trout incidentally in other subsistence net fisheries, you may retain them for subsistence purposes.
You may take salmon for subsistence purposes 24 hours a day from January 1 through December 31, with the following exceptions:
From June 1 through September 15, you may not use salmon seine vessels to take subsistence salmon for 24 hours before or during, and for 24 hours after, any State open commercial salmon fishing period. The use of skiffs from any type of vessel is allowed.
From June 1 through September 15, you may use purse seine vessels to take salmon only with gillnets, and you may have no other type of salmon gear on board the vessel.
You may subsistence fish for salmon with rod and reel only in the following locations:
Womens Bay— All waters inside a line from the tip of the Nyman Peninsula (57°43.23′ North latitude, 152°31.51′ West longitude), to the northeastern tip of Mary's Island (57°42.40′ North latitude, 152°32.00′ West longitude), to the southeastern shore of Womens Bay at 57°41.95′ North latitude, 152°31.50′ West longitude.
(1) King salmon: bag and possession limit of two fish; no size limit; no annual limit.
(2) Salmon, other than king salmon, that are:
(i) 20 inches or greater in length; bag and possession limit of five fish, of which only two may be coho salmon and only two may be sockeye salmon.
(ii) Less than 20 inches in length; bag and possession limit of 10 fish.
(iii) From September 16 through December 31, the bag and possession limit for coho salmon, 20 inches or greater in length, is one fish.
Buskin River marine waters— All waters inside of a line running from a marker on the bluff north of the mouth of the Buskin River at approximately 57°45.80′ North latitude, 152°28.38′ West longitude, to a point offshore at 57°45.35′ North latitude, 152°28.15′ West longitude, to a marker located onshore south of the river mouth at approximately 57°45.15′ North latitude, 152°28.65′ West longitude.
In Afognak Bay north and west of a line from the tip of Last Point to the tip of River Mouth Point.
You must have a subsistence fishing permit for taking salmon, trout, and char for subsistence purposes. You must have a subsistence fishing permit for taking herring and bottomfish for subsistence purposes during the State commercial herring sac roe season from April 15 through June 30.
The annual limit for a subsistence salmon fishing permit holder is as follows—
In the road-accessible Zone (Northeastern Kodiak Island), east of the line from Crag Point south to the westernmost point of Saltery Cove, including the inland waters of Spruce, Woody, and Long Islands, and the Federal marine waters of and around Womens Bay, 25 salmon for the permit holder plus an additional 25 salmon for each member of the same household whose names are listed on the permit; an additional permit may be obtained upon request.
In the remainder of the Kodiak Area not described in paragraphs (e)(9)(iii)(A) and (e)(9)(v)(A) of this section, there is no annual harvest limit for a subsistence salmon fishing permit holder.
You must record on your subsistence permit the number of subsistence fish taken. You must record all harvested fish prior to leaving the fishing site and must return the permit by the due date marked on the permit.
You may take fish other than salmon by gear listed in this part unless restricted under the terms of a subsistence fishing permit.
You may take salmon only by gillnet, rod and reel, or seine.
You must be physically present at the net when the net is being fished.
Cook Inlet Area. The Cook Inlet Area includes all waters of Alaska enclosed by a line extending east from Cape Douglas (58°51.10′ N Lat.) and a line extending south from Cape Fairfield (148°50.25′ W Long.).
General area regulations.
Unless restricted by regulations in this section, or unless restricted under the terms of a subsistence fishing permit, you may take fish at any time in the Cook Inlet Area.
If you take rainbow or steelhead trout incidentally in subsistence net fisheries, you may retain them for subsistence purposes, unless otherwise prohibited or provided for in this section. With jigging gear through the ice or rod-and-reel gear in open waters, there is an annual limit of two rainbow or steelhead trout 20 inches or longer, taken from Kenai Peninsula fresh waters.
Under the authority of a Federal subsistence fishing permit, you may take only salmon, trout, Dolly Varden, and other char. Permits will be issued by the in-season manager or designated representative and will be valid for that regulatory year, except as otherwise provided for in this section, or as stated under the permit conditions, unless the season is closed or restricted by a special action.
All fish taken under the authority of a Federal subsistence fishing permit must be marked and recorded prior to leaving the fishing site.
(1) The fishing site includes the particular Federal public waters and/or adjacent shoreline from which the fish were harvested.
(2) Marking means removing the dorsal fin.
You may not take grayling or burbot for subsistence purposes.
You may take smelt with dip nets in fresh water only from April 1 through June 15. There are no harvest or possession limits for smelt.
You may take whitefish in the Tyone River drainage using gillnets.
You may take fish by gear listed in this section unless restricted by other regulations in this section or under the terms of a Federal subsistence fishing permit (as may be modified by regulations in this section).
Seasons, harvest and possession limits, and methods and means for take are the same as for the taking of those species under Alaska sport fishing regulations (5 AAC 56 and 5 AAC 57) unless modified herein or by issuance of a Federal special action.
Applicable harvest provisions are as follows— (1) Harvest limits may not be accumulated.
(2) Each household may harvest its annual salmon limits in one or more days.
(3) All salmon harvested as part of a household annual limit must be reported to the Federal in-season manager within 72 hours of leaving the fishing site.
(4) For Ninilchik residents, the household annual limits for Chinook salmon in the Kasilof River and for late-run Chinook salmon in the Kenai River are combined.
Seasons, harvest limits, and methods and means for Kasilof River fisheries. Household annual limits for salmon in Kasilof River fisheries are as follows:
Kasilof River dip net or rod and reel; salmon. (1) Residents of Ninilchik may take sockeye, Chinook, coho, and pink salmon through a dip net or rod and reel fishery on the upper mainstem of the Kasilof River from a Federal regulatory marker on the river below the outlet of Tustumena Lake downstream to a marker on the river approximately 2.8 miles below the Tustumena Lake boat ramp.
(2) Residents using rod-and-reel gear may fish with up to two baited single or treble hooks.
(3) Other species incidentally caught during the dip net and rod and reel fishery may be retained for subsistence uses, including up to 200 rainbow/steelhead trout taken through August 15. After 200 rainbow/steelhead trout have been taken in this fishery or after August 15, all rainbow/steelhead trout must be released unless otherwise provided for in this section.
(4) Harvest seasons are as follows:
Kasilof River fish wheel; salmon. (1) Residents of Ninilchik may harvest sockeye, Chinook, coho, and pink salmon through a fish wheel fishery in the Federal public waters of the upper mainstem of the Kasilof River.
(2) Residents of Ninilchik may retain other species incidentally caught in the Kasilof River fish wheel except for rainbow or steelhead trout, which must be released and returned unharmed to the water.
(3) Only one fish wheel may be operated on the Kasilof River. The fish wheel must: Have a live box, be monitored when fishing, be stopped from fishing when it is not being monitored or used, and be installed and operated in compliance with any regulations and restrictions for its use within the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge.
(4) One registration permit will be available and will be awarded by the Federal in-season fishery manager, in consultation with the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge manager, based on the merits of the operational plan. The registration permit will be issued to an organization that, as the fish wheel owner, will be responsible for its construction, installation, operation, use, and removal in consultation with the Federal fishery manager. The owner may not rent or lease the fish wheel for personal gain. As part of the permit, the organization must:
(i) Prior to the season. Provide a written operational plan to the Federal fishery manager including a description of how fishing time and fish will be offered and distributed among households and residents of Ninilchik.
(ii) During the season. Mark the fish wheel with a wood, metal, or plastic plate that is at least 12 inches high by 12 inches wide, permanently affixed, and plainly visible and that contains the following information in letters and numerals at least 1 inch high: Registration permit number; organization's name and address; and primary contact person name and telephone number.
(iii) After the season. Provide written documentation of required evaluation information to the Federal fishery manager including, but not limited to, persons or households operating the gear, hours of operation, and number of each species caught and retained or released.
(5) People operating the fish wheel must:
(i) Have in possession a valid Federal subsistence fishing permit and remain onsite to monitor the fish wheel and remove all fish at least every hour.
(ii) In addition, any person operating the fish wheel who is not the owner must attach to the fish wheel an additional wood, metal, or plastic plate that is at least 12 inches high by 12 inches wide, is plainly visible, and contains the person's fishing permit number, name, and address in letters and numerals at least 1 inch high.
(6) The organization owning the fish wheel may operate the fish wheel for subsistence purposes on behalf of residents of Ninilchik by requesting a subsistence fishing permit that:
(i) Identifies a person who will be responsible for operating the fish wheel; and
(ii) Includes provisions for recording daily catches, the household to whom the catch was given, and other information determined to be necessary for effective resource management by the Federal fishery manager.
(7) Fishing is allowed from June 16 through October 31 on the Kasilof River unless closed or otherwise restricted by Federal special action.
Kasilof River gillnet; salmon. (1) Residents of Ninilchik may harvest sockeye, Chinook, coho, and pink salmon in the Federal public waters of the upper mainstem of the Kasilof River from a Federal regulatory marker on the river below the outlet of Tustumena Lake downstream to the Tustumena Lake boat launch with a single gillnet from June 16 through August 15.
(2) Only one community gillnet may be operated on the Kasilof River.
(i) The gillnet may not: Be over 10 fathoms in length, be larger than 5.25-inch mesh, and obstruct more than half of the river width with stationary fishing gear.
(ii) Subsistence stationary gillnet gear may not be set within 200 feet of other subsistence stationary gear.
(iii) The gillnet may be operated as a set gillnet in a fixed location, as a pole-net system drifted through an area while wading, or as a drift net from a boat.
(3) One registration permit will be available and will be issued by the Federal in-season fishery manager, in consultation with the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge manager, to the Ninilchik Traditional Council. As the community gillnet owner, the Ninilchik Traditional Council will be responsible for its use and removal in consultation with the Federal in-season manager. As part of the permit, after the season, the Ninilchik Traditional Council must provide written documentation of required evaluation information to the Federal fishery manager including, but not limited to:
(i) Persons or households operating the gear;
(ii) Hours of operation; and
(iii) Number of each species caught and retained or released.
(4) The community gillnet is subject to compliance with applicable Kenai National Wildlife Refuge regulations and restrictions.
(5) The Ninilchik Traditional Council may operate the net for subsistence purposes on behalf of residents of Ninilchik by requesting a subsistence fishing permit that:
(i) Identifies a person who will be responsible for fishing the gillnet; and
(ii) Includes provisions for recording daily catches within 72 hours, the household to whom the catch was given, and other information determined to be necessary for effective resource management by the Federal in-season manager.
(6) Residents of Ninilchik may retain other species incidentally caught in the Kasilof River community gillnet fishery. The gillnet fishery will be closed when the retention of rainbow or steelhead trout has been restricted under Federal subsistence regulations.
Tustumena Lake rod and reel; salmon. (1) In addition to the dip net and rod and reel fishery on the upper mainstem of the Kasilof River described under paragraph (e)(10)(ii)(A)(1) of this section, residents of Ninilchik may also take coho and pink salmon through a rod and reel fishery in Tustumena Lake. Fishing is allowed with up to two baited single or treble hooks.
(2) Seasons, areas, harvest and possession limits, and methods and means for take are the same as for the taking of these species under Alaska sport fishing regulations (5 AAC 56), except for the following harvest and possession limits:
Kasilof drainage rod and reel; resident species. Resident fish species including lake trout, rainbow or steelhead trout, and Dolly Varden or Arctic char may be harvested by rod and reel in federally managed waters of the Kasilof River drainage the entire year as follows:
Tustumena Lake under ice fishery; resident species. (1) You may fish in Tustumena Lake with a gillnet under the ice, or with jigging gear used through the ice. The gillnet may not be longer than 10 fathoms.
(2) Harvest limits are as follows:
(3) You may harvest fish under the ice only in Tustumena Lake. Gillnets are not allowed within a 1/4 mile radius of the mouth of any tributary to Tustumena Lake, or the outlet of Tustumena Lake.
(4) A permit is required. The permit will be issued by the Federal in-season manager or designated representative and will be valid for the winter season unless the season is closed by special action.
(i) The permittee must report the following information: The number of each species caught; the number of each species retained; the length, depth (number of meshes deep), and mesh size of gillnet fished; the fishing site; and the total hours fished.
(ii) The gillnet must be checked at least once in every 48-hour period.
(iii) For unattended gear, the permittee's name and address must be plainly and legibly inscribed on a stake at one end of the gillnet.
(5) Incidentally caught fish may be retained and must be recorded on the permit before transporting fish from the fishing site.
(6) Failure to return the completed harvest permit by May 31 may result in issuance of a violation notice and/or denial of a future subsistence permit.
Seasons, harvest limits, and methods and means for Kenai River fisheries. Household annual limits for salmon in Kenai River fisheries are as follows:
Kenai River dip net or rod and reel; salmon. (1) You may take only sockeye salmon through a dip net or rod and reel fishery at one specified site on the Russian River.
(i) For the Russian River fishing site, incidentally caught fish may be retained for subsistence uses, except for Chinook salmon, coho salmon, rainbow trout, and Dolly Varden, which must be released.
(ii) At the Russian River Falls site, dip netting is allowed from a Federal regulatory marker near the upstream end of the fish ladder at Russian River Falls downstream to a Federal regulatory marker approximately 600 yards below Russian River Falls. Residents using rod and reel gear at this fishery site may not fish with bait at any time.
(2) You may take sockeye, Chinook, coho, and pink salmon through a dip net or rod and reel fishery at two specified sites on the Kenai River below Skilak Lake and as provided in this section.
(i) For both Kenai River fishing sites below Skilak Lake, incidentally caught fish may be retained for subsistence uses, except for Chinook salmon prior to July 16 (unless otherwise provided for in this section), rainbow trout 18 inches or longer, and Dolly Varden 18 inches or longer, which must be released.
(ii) At the Kenai River Moose Range Meadows site, dip netting is allowed only from a boat from a Federal regulatory marker on the Kenai River at about river mile 29 downstream approximately 2.5 miles to another marker on the Kenai River at about river mile 26.5. Residents using rod and reel gear at this fishery site may fish from boats or from shore with up to two baited single or treble hooks June 15 through August 31.
(iii) At the Kenai River mile 48 site, dip netting is allowed while either standing in the river or from a boat, from Federal regulatory markers on both sides of the Kenai River at about river mile 48 (approximately 2 miles below the outlet of Skilak Lake) downstream approximately 2.5 miles to a marker on the Kenai River at about river mile 45.5. Residents using rod and reel gear at this fishery site may fish from boats or from shore with up to two baited single or treble hooks June 15 through August 31.
(3) Fishing seasons are as follows:
Kenai River gillnet; salmon. (1) Residents of Ninilchik may harvest sockeye, Chinook, coho, and pink salmon in the Moose Range Meadows area of the Federal public waters of the Kenai River with a single gillnet to be managed and operated by the Ninilchik Traditional Council.
(2) Fishing will be allowed July 1 through August 15 and September 10-30 on the Kenai River unless closed or otherwise restricted by Federal special action. The following conditions apply to harvest in the Kenai River community gillnet fishery:
(i) Salmon taken in this fishery will be included as household annual limits of participating households.
(ii) The Ninilchik Traditional Council will report all harvested fish within 72 hours of leaving the gillnet location.
(iii) Additional harvest restrictions for this fishery are as follows:
(iv) Chinook salmon less than 20 inches in length may be retained and do not count towards retained or released totals.
(v) Other incidentally caught species may be retained; however, all incidental fish mortalities, except for Chinook salmon less than 20 inches in length, count towards released or retained totals specified in this section.
(3) Only one community gillnet may be operated on the Kenai River.
(i) The gillnet may not: Be over 10 fathoms in length to take salmon; be larger than 5.25-inch mesh; and obstruct more than half of the river width with stationary fishing gear.
(ii) Subsistence stationary gillnet gear may not be set within 200 feet of other subsistence stationary gear.
(4) One registration permit will be available and will be issued by the Federal in-season manager, in consultation with the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge manager, to the Ninilchik Traditional Council. As the community gillnet owner, the Ninilchik Traditional Council will be responsible for its use and removal in consultation with the Federal in-season manager. As part of the permit, the Ninilchik Traditional Council must provide post-season written documentation of required evaluation information to the Federal in-season manager including, but not limited to:
(i) Persons or households operating the gear;
(ii) Hours of operation; and
(iii) Number of each species caught and retained or released.
(5) The Ninilchik Traditional Council may operate the net for subsistence purposes on behalf of residents of Ninilchik by requesting a subsistence fishing permit that:
(i) Identifies a person who will be responsible for fishing the gillnet; and
(ii) Includes provisions for recording daily catches, the household to whom the catch was given, and other information determined to be necessary for effective resource management by the Federal in-season manager.
Kenai River rod and reel only; salmon. (1) For federally managed waters of the Kenai River and its tributaries, you may take sockeye, Chinook, coho, pink, and chum salmon through a separate rod and reel fishery in the Kenai River drainage.
(2) Seasons, areas, harvest and possession limits, and methods and means for take are the same as for the taking of these salmon species under State of Alaska fishing regulations (5 AAC 56, 5 AAC 57 and 5 AAC 77.540), except for the following harvest and possession limits:
(i) In the Kenai River below Skilak Lake, fishing is allowed with up to two baited single or treble hooks June 15 through August 31.
(ii) Annual harvest limits for any combination of Chinook salmon are four for each permit holder.
(iii) Incidentally caught fish, other than salmon, are subject to regulations found in paragraph (e)(10)(iii)(D) of this section.
Kenai River and tributaries under ice jigging and rod and reel; resident species. (1) For federally managed waters of the Kenai River and its tributaries below Skilak Lake outlet at river mile 50, you may take resident fish species including lake trout, rainbow trout, and Dolly Varden or Arctic char with jigging gear through the ice or rod and reel gear in open waters. Seasons, areas, harvest and possession limits, and methods and means for take are the same as for the taking of these resident species under State of Alaska fishing regulations (5 AAC 56, 5 AAC 57, and 5 AAC 77.540), except for the following harvest and possession limits:
(2) For federally managed waters of the upper Kenai River and its tributaries above Skilak Lake outlet at river mile 50, you may take resident fish species including lake trout, rainbow trout, and Dolly Varden or Arctic char with jigging gear through the ice or rod and reel gear in open waters. Seasons, areas, harvest and possession limits, and methods and means for take are the same as for the taking of these resident species under Alaska fishing regulations (5 AAC 56, 5 AAC 57, 5 AAC 77.540), except for the following harvest and possession limits:
Prince William Sound Area. The Prince William Sound Area includes all waters and drainages of Alaska between the longitude of Cape Fairfield and the longitude of Cape Suckling. The Lower Copper River Area includes that portion of the Copper River, from a boundary one-half mile upstream of the Copper River Highway to a boundary extending one-half mile downstream of the Copper River Highway, from the west bank of the river near highway mile 27 to the east bank of the river near highway mile 38.
You may take fish, other than rainbow/steelhead trout, in the Prince William Sound Area only under authority of a subsistence fishing permit, except that a permit is not required to take eulachon. You make not take rainbow/steelhead trout, except as otherwise provided for in this paragraph (e)(11).
In the Prince William Sound Area within Chugach National Forest and in the Copper River drainage downstream of Haley Creek, you may accumulate Federal subsistence fishing harvest limits with harvest limits under State of Alaska sport fishing regulations provided that accumulation of fishing harvest limits does not occur during the same day.
You may accumulate harvest limits of salmon authorized for the Copper River drainage upstream from Haley Creek with harvest limits for salmon authorized under State of Alaska sport fishing regulations.
You may take fish by gear listed in paragraph (b)(1) of this section unless restricted in this section or under the terms of a subsistence fishing permit.
If you catch rainbow/steelhead trout incidentally in other subsistence net fisheries, you may retain them for subsistence purposes, unless restricted in this section.
In the Copper River drainage, you may take salmon only in the waters of the Upper Copper River District or in the vicinity of the Native Village of Batzulnetas and in the Lower Copper River Area.
In the Upper Copper River District, you may take salmon only by fish wheels, rod and reel, or dip nets. In the Lower Copper River Area, you may take salmon only by dip nets and rod and reel. All salmon retained from the Lower Copper River Area must be reported to area managers within 48 hours of harvest.
In the Lower Copper River Area, you may not dip net from a boat.
In the Lower Copper River Area, the salmon fishery opens on June 1 and closes on September 30.
Rainbow/steelhead trout and other freshwater fish caught incidentally to salmon by fish wheel in the Upper Copper River District may be retained.
Freshwater fish other than rainbow/steelhead trout caught incidentally to salmon by dip net in the Upper Copper River District may be retained. Rainbow/steelhead trout caught incidentally to salmon by dip net in the Upper Copper River District must be released unharmed to the water.
You may not possess salmon taken under the authority of an Upper Copper River District subsistence fishing permit, or rainbow/steelhead trout caught incidentally to salmon by fish wheel, unless the anal fin has been immediately removed from the fish. You must immediately record all retained fish on the subsistence permit. Immediately means prior to concealing the fish from plain view or transporting the fish more than 50 feet from where the fish was removed from the water.
You may take salmon in the Upper Copper River District from May 15 through September 30 only.
The total annual harvest limit for subsistence salmon fishing permits in combination for the Glennallen Subdistrict and the Chitina Subdistrict is as follows:
For a household with 1 person, 30 salmon, of which no more than 5 may be Chinook salmon taken by dip net and no more than 5 Chinook taken by rod and reel.
For a household with 2 persons, 60 salmon, of which no more than 5 may be Chinook salmon taken by dip net and no more than 5 Chinook taken by rod and reel, plus 10 salmon for each additional person in a household over 2 persons, except that the household's limit for Chinook salmon taken by dip net or rod and reel does not increase.
Upon request, permits for additional salmon will be issued for no more than a total of 200 salmon for a permit issued to a household with 1 person, of which no more than 5 may be Chinook salmon taken by dip net and no more than 5 Chinook taken by rod and reel, or no more than a total of 500 salmon for a permit issued to a household with 2 or more persons, of which no more than 5 may be Chinook salmon taken by dip net and no more than 5 Chinook taken by rod and reel.
The following apply to Upper Copper River District subsistence salmon fishing permits—
Only one subsistence fishing permit per subdistrict will be issued to each household per year. If a household has been issued permits for both subdistricts in the same year, both permits must be in your possession and readily available for inspection while fishing or transporting subsistence-taken fish in either subdistrict. A qualified household may also be issued a Batzulnetas salmon fishery permit in the same year.
Multiple types of gear may be specified on a permit, although only one unit of gear per person may be operated at any one time.
You must return your permit no later than October 31 of the year in which the permit is issued, or you may be denied a permit for the following year.
A fish wheel may be operated only by one permit holder at one time; that permit holder must have the fish wheel marked as required by paragraph (e)(11)(xii)(B) or (e)(11)(xiii)(E) of this section and during fishing operations.
Only the permit holder and the authorized member(s) of the household listed on the subsistence permit may take salmon.
You must personally operate your fish wheel or dip net.
You may not loan or transfer a subsistence fish wheel or dip net permit except as permitted.
While you are fishing from a boat or other watercraft, you may not use any device that indicates bathymetry and/or fish locations, e.g., fish finders. These devices do not have to be removed or uninstalled from a boat or watercraft.
If you are a fish wheel owner:
You must register your fish wheel with ADF&G or the Federal Subsistence Board.
Your registration number and a wood, metal, or plastic plate at least 12 inches high by 12 inches wide bearing either your name and address, or your Alaska driver's license number, or your Alaska State identification card number in letters and numerals at least 1 inch high, must be permanently affixed and plainly visible on the fish wheel when the fish wheel is in the water.
Only the current year's registration number may be affixed to the fish wheel; you must remove any other registration number from the fish wheel.
You are responsible for the fish wheel; you must remove the fish wheel from the water at the end of the permit period.
You may not rent, lease, or otherwise use your fish wheel used for subsistence fishing for personal gain.
If you are operating a fish wheel:
You may operate only one fish wheel at any one time.
You may not set or operate a fish wheel within 75 feet of another fish wheel.
You must check your fish wheel at least once every 10 hours and remove all fish.
No fish wheel may have more than two baskets.
If you are a permittee other than the owner, you must attach an additional wood, metal, or plastic plate at least 12 inches high by 12 inches wide, bearing your name and address in letters and numerals at least 1 inch high, to the fish wheel so that the name and address are plainly visible.
A subsistence fishing permit may be issued to a village council, or other similarly qualified organization whose members operate fish wheels for subsistence purposes in the Upper Copper River District, to operate fish wheels on behalf of members of its village or organization. The following additional provisions apply to subsistence fishing permits issued under this paragraph (e)(11)(xiv):
The permit will list all households and household members for whom the fish wheel is being operated. The permit will identify a person who will be responsible for the fish wheel and will be the same person as is listed on the fish wheel described in paragraph (e)(11)(xiii)(E) of this section.
The allowable harvest may not exceed the combined seasonal limits for the households listed on the permit; the permittee will notify the ADF&G or Federal Subsistence Board when households are added to the list, and the seasonal limit may be adjusted accordingly.
Members of households listed on a permit issued to a village council or other similarly qualified organization are not eligible for a separate household subsistence fishing permit for the Upper Copper River District.
The permit will include provisions for recording daily catches for each fish wheel; location and number of fish wheels; full legal name of the individual responsible for the lawful operation of each fish wheel as described in paragraph (e)(11)(xiii)(E) of this section; and other information determined to be necessary for effective resource management.
You may take salmon in the vicinity of the former Native village of Batzulnetas only under the authority of a Batzulnetas subsistence salmon fishing permit available from the National Park Service under the following conditions:
You may take salmon only in those waters of the Copper River between National Park Service regulatory markers located near the mouth of Tanada Creek and approximately one-half mile downstream from that mouth and in Tanada Creek between National Park Service regulatory markers identifying the open waters of the creek.
You may use only fish wheels, dip nets, and rod and reel on the Copper River and only dip nets, spears, fyke nets, and rod and reel in Tanada Creek. One fyke net and associated lead may be used in Tanada Creek upstream of the National Park Service weir.
You may take salmon only from May 15 through September 30 or until the season is closed by special action.
You may retain Chinook salmon taken in a fish wheel in the Copper River. You must return to the water unharmed any Chinook salmon caught in Tanada Creek.
You must return the permit to the National Park Service no later than October 15 of the year the permit was issued.
You may only use a fyke net after consultation with the in-season manager. You must be present when the fyke net is actively fishing. You may take no more than 1,000 sockeye salmon in Tanada Creek with a fyke net.
You may take pink salmon for subsistence purposes from fresh water with a dip net from May 15 through September 30, 7 days per week, with no harvest or possession limits in the following areas:
Green Island, Knight Island, Chenega Island, Bainbridge Island, Evans Island, Elrington Island, Latouche Island, and adjacent islands, and the mainland waters from the outer point of Granite Bay located in Knight Island Passage to Cape Fairfield;
Waters north of a line from Porcupine Point to Granite Point, and south of a line from Point Lowe to Tongue Point.
In the Chugach National Forest portion of the Prince William Sound Area, and the Lower Copper River Area, you must possess a Federal subsistence fishing permit to take salmon, trout, whitefish, grayling, Dolly Varden, or char. Permits are available from the Cordova Ranger District.
Salmon harvest is not allowed in Eyak Lake and its tributaries, the remainder of the Copper River and its tributaries outside of the Lower Copper River Area, and Eyak River upstream from the Copper River Highway Bridge.
You must record on your subsistence permit the number of subsistence fish taken. You must record all harvested fish prior to leaving the fishing site and return the permit by the due date marked on the permit.
You must remove both lobes of the caudal (tail) fin from subsistence-caught salmon before leaving the fishing site.
Excluding the areas described in paragraph (e)(11)(xvii)(A) of this section, you may take salmon by rod and reel, dip net, spear, and gaff year-round.
For a household with 1 person, 15 salmon (other than pink) may be taken, and 5 cutthroat trout, with only 2 over 20 inches, may be taken; no more than 5 Chinook salmon per household; for pink salmon, see the conditions of the permit.
For a household with 2 persons, 30 salmon (other than pink) may be taken, plus an additional 10 salmon for each additional person in a household over 2 persons, and 5 cutthroat trout, with only 2 over 20 inches per each household member with a maximum household limit of 30 cutthroat trout may be taken; no more than 5 Chinook salmon per household; for pink salmon, see the conditions of the permit.
You may take Dolly Varden, Arctic char, whitefish, and grayling with rod and reel and spear year-round and with a gillnet from January 1 to April 1. The maximum incidental gillnet harvest of trout is 10.
You may take cutthroat trout with rod and reel and spear from June 15 to April 14 and with a gillnet from January 1 to April 1.
You may not retain rainbow/steelhead trout for subsistence unless taken incidentally in a subsistence gillnet fishery. Rainbow/steelhead trout must be immediately released from a dip net without harm.
Yakutat Area. The Yakutat Area includes all waters and drainages of Alaska between the longitude of Cape Suckling and the longitude of Cape Fairweather.
Unless restricted in this section or unless restricted under the terms of a subsistence fishing permit, you may take fish at any time in the Yakutat Area.
You may take salmon, trout (other than steelhead), and char only under authority of a subsistence fishing permit. You may take steelhead trout only in the Situk and Ahrnklin Rivers and only under authority of a Federal subsistence fishing permit.
If you take salmon, trout, or char incidentally by gear operated under the terms of a subsistence permit for salmon, you may retain them for subsistence purposes. You must report any salmon, trout, or char taken in this manner on your permit calendar.
You may take fish by gear listed in this part unless restricted in this section or under the terms of a subsistence fishing permit. In areas where use of rod and reel is allowed, you may use artificial fly, lure, or bait when fishing with rod and reel, unless restricted by Federal permit. If you use bait, you must retain all Federally regulated fish species caught, and they apply to your applicable daily and annual harvest limits for that species. For streams with steelhead, once your daily or annual limit of steelhead is harvested, you may no longer fish with bait for any species.
In the Situk River, each subsistence salmon fishing permit holder shall attend his or her gillnet at all times when it is being used to take salmon.
You may block up to two-thirds of a stream with a gillnet or seine used for subsistence fishing.
You must immediately remove both lobes of the caudal (tail) fin from subsistence-caught salmon when taken.
You may not possess subsistence-taken and sport-taken salmon on the same day.
You must possess a subsistence fishing permit to take Dolly Varden. The daily harvest and possession limit is 10 Dolly Varden of any size.
Southeastern Alaska Area. The Southeastern Alaska Area includes all waters between a line projecting southwest from the westernmost tip of Cape Fairweather and Dixon Entrance.
Unless restricted in this section or under the terms of a subsistence fishing permit, you may take fish other than salmon, trout, grayling, and char in the Southeastern Alaska Area at any time.
You must possess a subsistence fishing permit to take salmon, trout, grayling, or char. You must possess a subsistence fishing permit to take eulachon from any freshwater stream flowing into fishing District 1.
In the Southeastern Alaska Area, a rainbow trout is defined as a fish of the species Oncorhyncus mykiss less than 22 inches in overall length. A steelhead is defined as a rainbow trout with an overall length of 22 inches or larger.
In areas where use of rod and reel is allowed, you may use an artificial fly, lure, or bait when fishing with rod and reel, unless restricted by Federal permit. If you use bait, you must retain all federally regulated fish species caught, and they apply to your applicable daily, seasonal, and annual harvest limits for that species.
For streams with steelhead, once your daily, seasonal, or annual limit of steelhead is harvested, you may no longer fish with bait for any species.
Unless otherwise specified in this paragraph (e)(13), allowable gear for salmon or steelhead is restricted to gaffs, spears, gillnets, seines, dip nets, cast nets, handlines, or rod and reel.
Unless otherwise specified in this paragraph (e)(13), you may use a handline for snagging salmon or steelhead.
You may fish with a rod and reel within 300 feet of a fish ladder unless the site is otherwise posted by the USDA Forest Service. You may not fish from, on, or in a fish ladder.
You may not accumulate Federal subsistence harvest limits authorized for the Southeastern Alaska Area with any harvest limits authorized under any State of Alaska fishery with the following exception: Annual or seasonal Federal subsistence harvest limits may be accumulated with State sport fishing harvest limits provided that accumulation of harvest limits does not occur during the same day.
If you take salmon, trout, or char incidentally with gear operated under terms of a subsistence permit for other salmon, they may be kept for subsistence purposes. You must report any salmon, trout, or char taken in this manner on your subsistence fishing permit.
Nets are prohibited in streams flowing across or adjacent to the roads on Wrangell and Mitkof Islands, and in streams flowing across or adjacent to the road systems connected to the community of Sitka.
You may not possess subsistence-taken and sport-taken fish of a given species on the same day.
If a harvest limit is not otherwise listed for sockeye in this paragraph (e)(13), the harvest limit for sockeye salmon is the same as provided for in adjacent State subsistence or personal use fisheries. If a harvest limit is not established for the State subsistence or personal use fisheries, the possession limit is 10 sockeye and the annual harvest limit is 20 sockeye per household for that stream.
The Sarkar River system above the bridge is closed to the use of all nets by both federally qualified and non-federally qualified users.
You may take Chinook, sockeye, and coho salmon in the mainstem of the Stikine River only under the authority of a Federal subsistence fishing permit. Each Stikine River permit will be issued to a household. Only dip nets, spears, gaffs, rod and reel, beach seine, or gillnets not exceeding 15 fathoms in length may be used. The maximum gillnet stretched mesh size is 8 inches during the Chinook salmon season and 5 1/2 inches during the sockeye salmon season. There is no maximum mesh size during the coho salmon season.
You may take Chinook salmon from May 15 through June 20. The annual limit is five Chinook salmon per household.
You may take sockeye salmon from June 21 through July 31. The annual limit is 40 sockeye salmon per household.
You may take coho salmon from August 1 through October 1. The annual limit is 20 coho salmon per household.
You may retain other salmon taken incidentally by gear operated under terms of this permit. The incidentally taken salmon must be reported on your permit calendar.
Fishing nets must be checked at least twice each day.
You may take coho salmon with a Federal salmon fishing permit. There is no closed season. The daily harvest limit is 20 coho salmon per household. Only dip nets, spears, gaffs, handlines, and rod and reel may be used. There are specific rules to harvest any salmon on the Stikine River, and you must have a separate Stikine River subsistence salmon fishing permit to take salmon on the Stikine River.
Unless noted on a Federal subsistence harvest permit, there are no harvest limits for pink or chum salmon.
Unless otherwise specified in this paragraph (e)(13), you may take steelhead under the terms of a subsistence fishing permit. The open season is January 1 through May 31. The daily household harvest and possession limit is one with an annual household limit of two. You may use only a dip net, gaff, handline, spear, or rod and reel. The permit conditions and systems to receive special protection will be determined by the local Federal fisheries manager in consultation with ADF&G.
You may take steelhead trout on Prince of Wales and Kosciusko Islands under the terms of Federal subsistence fishing permits. You must obtain a separate permit for the winter and spring seasons.
The winter season is December 1 through the last day of February, with a harvest limit of two fish per household; however, only one steelhead may be harvested by a household from a particular drainage. You may use only a dip net, handline, spear, or rod and reel. You must return your winter season permit within 15 days of the close of the season and before receiving another permit for a Prince of Wales/Kosciusko steelhead subsistence fishery. The permit conditions and systems to receive special protection will be determined by the local Federal fisheries manager in consultation with ADF&G.
The spring season is March 1 through May 31, with a harvest limit of five fish per household; however, only two steelhead may be harvested by a household from a particular drainage. You may use only a dip net, handline, spear, or rod and reel. You must return your spring season permit within 15 days of the close of the season and before receiving another permit for a Prince of Wales/Kosciusko steelhead subsistence fishery. The permit conditions and systems to receive special protection will be determined by the local Federal fisheries manager in consultation with ADF&G.
In addition to the requirement for a Federal subsistence fishing permit, the following restrictions for the harvest of Dolly Varden, brook trout, grayling, cutthroat trout, and rainbow trout apply:
The daily household harvest and possession limit is 20 Dolly Varden; there is no closed season or size limit.
The daily household harvest and possession limit is 20 brook trout; there is no closed season or size limit.
The daily household harvest and possession limit is 20 grayling; there is no closed season or size limit.
The daily household harvest limit is 6 and the household possession limit is 12 cutthroat or rainbow trout in combination; there is no closed season or size limit.
You may use only a rod and reel.
The permit conditions and systems to receive special protection will be determined by the local Federal fisheries manager in consultation with ADF&G.
The Klawock River drainage is closed to the use of seines and gillnets during July and August.
The Federal public waters in the Makhnati Island area, as defined in § 242.3(b)(5) are closed to the harvest of herring and herring spawn, except by federally qualified users.
Only federally qualified subsistence users may harvest sockeye salmon in Neva Lake, Neva Creek, and South Creek.
The Federal public waters of Kah Sheets Creek are closed from July 1 to July 31, except by federally qualified users.
Notes, amendments, and revision history
Amendments
[78 FR 19112, Mar. 29, 2013, as amended at 80 FR 28192, May 18, 2015; 83 FR 3084, Jan. 23, 2018; 84 FR 39191, Aug. 9, 2019; 84 FR 39748, Aug. 12, 2019; 86 FR 17717, Apr. 6, 2021; 87 FR 44894, July 26, 2022; 89 FR 14756, Feb. 29, 2024; 90 FR 34161, July 18, 2025]
Authority
Authority: 16 U.S.C. 3, 472, 551, 668dd, 3101-3126; 18 U.S.C. 3551-3586; 43 U.S.C. 1733.
Amendments
[78 FR 19112, Mar. 29, 2013, as amended at 80 FR 28192, May 18, 2015; 83 FR 3084, Jan. 23, 2018; 84 FR 39191, Aug. 9, 2019; 84 FR 39748, Aug. 12, 2019; 86 FR 17717, Apr. 6, 2021; 87 FR 44894, July 26, 2022; 89 FR 14756, Feb. 29, 2024; 90 FR 34161, July 18, 2025]