A directed commercial fisheries opener for walleye Pollock using pelagic trawl gear opens in Prince William Sound Area E at noon Jan. 20 with a guideline harvest level of 6.44 million pounds.
The deadline for registration is 4:30 p.m. Jan. 13.
Alaska Department of Fish and Game officials in Homer noted that registrations for this fishery will be issued only to individuals who possess a 2022 Commercial Fisheries Entry Commission miscellaneous saltwater finfish interim-use permit card for trawl gear. Permit card applications are available from ADF&G, the CFEC or at cfec.state.ak.us.
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, ADF&G is urging people to register for the fishery by fax or email. For registration information call ADF&G in Homer at 907-235-8191 from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Registration packets may be emailed to participants or distributed through ADF&G offices in Homer and Kodiak. The packets include check-in and check-out requirements, log sheets, catch reporting procedures and accommodation of ADF&G observers.
Total bycatch, fish caught incidentally to the directed fishery is limited to 5% or less of the total Pollock harvested, with the bycatch allowance apportioned into five species groups: rockfish, salmon, shark, squid and other. The bycatch apportionments correspond to the allowable bycatch levels for individual vessels participating in the fishery as round weights of bycatch species, as a percentage of the round weight of Pollock onboard the vessel.
There is mandatory retention of all rockfish.
