State fisheries biologists say 99 vessels met the April 1 deadline for registration for the Prince William Sound Area E commercial shrimp pot fishery, which opens 8 a.m. April 15 and closes at 8 p.m. on April 23.
Gear limits are initially set at a maximum of 25 shrimp pots per vessel, and fishing hours for the initial period are extended by emergency order from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Jan Rumble, area shellfish management biologist in Homer, said the announcement of future fishing periods will be dependent on prompt catch reporting and harvest levels.
Shrimp pot gear may only be deployed and retrieved from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. during the open fish period and may not be stored in the water or deployed prior to the season opener.
Vessel operators may not have more than the legal limit of pot gear in aggregate, on board the vessel or in the water at any time. Shrimp pots deployed on a longline with six or more pots must have a buoy attached to each end of the longline.
Pot tags are not required.
Once the fishing period or season closes, shrimp pots may be stored in saltwater only if all bait and bait containers have been removed and all doors have been secured fully open, and for no more than seven days.
