Sitka. . . The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) announced today the 2016 winter directed commercial fishery for Demersal Shelf Rockfish (DSR) will open in the Northern Southeast Inside (NSEI) Subdistrict and portions of the Southern Southeast Inside (SSEI) Subdistrict on Tuesday, January 5 at 9:00 a.m. These areas will remain open until allocations are taken or until 4:00 p.m. on the day prior to the start of the commercial halibut fishery, whichever occurs first. The seven species of rockfish in the DSR assemblage are yelloweye, quillback, canary, copper, china, tiger, and rosethorn. The 2016 annual directed commercial DSR harvest limit for each area is 55,125 round pounds (25 mt) with 37,485 pounds (17 mt) allocated to the winter fishery. The remainder of the harvest objective will be available for harvest in the fall portion of the fishery.
Harvest Guidelines for the Directed DSR Fishery
Area Pounds Metric tons
NSEI 37,485 17
SSEI 37,485 17
The department will announce details regarding the 2016 Southeast Outside Subdistrict (SEO) directed DSR fishery on January 29, 2016. If SEO fishery openings are announced, the fishing season will begin at 9:00 a.m. on February 3, 2016. The SEO Subdistrict includes all waters of East Yakutat (EYKT), Northern Southeast Outside (NSEO), Central Southeast Outside (CSEO), and Southern Southeast Outside (SSEO) Sections.
The following waters are closed to directed fishing for DSR [5 AAC 28.150 (d)]:
In the Ketchikan vicinity: all waters of Behm Canal, Clarence Strait, Tongass Narrows, Nichols Passage, George Inlet, Carroll Inlet, Thorne Arm, Revillagigedo Channel, and all contiguous waters enclosed by the latitude of Bushy Point Light, a line from Point Alava to the southernmost tip of Ham Island, a line from Cedar Point to Dall Head, and a line from Dall Head to a point in midstream Clarence Strait at the latitude of Dall Head to Caamano Point.
In the vicinity of Craig and Klawock: all waters of Ulloa Channel north of the latitude of Waterfall Cannery, and all waters enclosed by a line from the southernmost tip of St. Philip Island to the northernmost tip of San Fernando Island, to Point Cangrejo.
DSR fishery page 1 of 3 December 17, 2015
In NSEI: the waters of Glacier Bay north of a line from Point Carolus at 58°22.694′ N. lat., 136°02.535′ W. long., to Point Gustavus at 58°22.748′ N. lat., 135°54.927′ W. long., and the waters of Dundas Bay north and west of a line running from 58°22.900′ N. lat., 136°25.300′ W. long., to 58°23.600′ N. lat., 136°24.600′ W. long. For more information contact the Glacier Bay National Park Service at 907-697- 2230.
General Provisions
Fishermen are required to register their vessel with ADF&G prior to participating in the winter directed DSR fishery. Logbooks are required and a copy of the logbook pages detailing a landing must be attached to the fish ticket at the time of that landing. Fishermen are required to report on logbooks the latitude and longitude for start and end positions of each set, amount of gear (skates and hooks), depth of each set, and amount of catch per set by species. Logbooks are available at ADF&G area offices.
In the Southeast District, DSR may be taken in the directed fishery by longline, hand troll, dinglebar troll, and mechanical jigging machines. A Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission (CFEC) “Y” interim use permit is required for the directed fishery. In the NSEI and SSEI Subdistricts, a vessel or CFEC permit holder may not sell more than 6,000 pounds (bled weight) of DSR in any five-day period. When fishing in the NSEI and SSEI Subdistricts, full retention of all rockfish is required, excluding thornyhead. All rockfish taken in excess of trip or bycatch limits must be landed, weighed, and reported on an ADF&G fish ticket. DSR taken in excess of the trip limit shall be forfeited to the State. If excess rockfish bycatch is sold, proceeds shall be surrendered to the State. The permit holder may retain excess rockfish bycatch (thornyheads excluded) for personal use in accordance with 5 AAC 39.010; the pounds must be documented as overage on the fish ticket.
Bycatch Provisions
Bycatch provisions for DSR longline and jig (mechanical jigging machines, dinglebar troll, and hand troll gear) permits are listed in the following table. Bycatch allowances (amount retained or sold) are based on the aggregate round weight of DSR onboard.
Bycatch Species
Lingcod Longline fishery- 35%, until lingcod area allocations are taken. Jig fishery- 0%.
Shortraker and Rougheye 7% in aggregate. Full retention required.
Black, Blue, and Dark Rockfish 15% in aggregate. Full retention required.
Thornyhead and Other Rockfish 15% in aggregate. Full retention required, excluding thornyhead.
Pacific cod 20%. Full retention required where directed Pacific cod open.
Dogfish Longline fishery- 35%.Jig fishery- 20%.
Sablefish 0%.
Other Groundfish 20%. Must retain pollock up to maximum bycatch allowance.
Catch and effort will be closely monitored and area closures may occur on short notice. Closures will be announced by ADF&G news release, United States Coast Guard “Notice to Mariners” report and the National Weather Service broadcast. Updates of area closures will also be available on the Groundfish Hotline at 907-747-4882.