1. (a) Except as specifically provided in (b) and (c) of this section and unless otherwise specified in this chapter, during the closed season for fishing for Dungeness crab in any waters, Dungeness crab pots must be removed from the water.

2. (b) Notwithstanding the requirement of (a) of this section, in waters that are closed to fishing for Dungeness crab, a person may store in the waters that are closed to Dungeness crab fishing the person's Dungeness crab pots if all pot doors are secured fully open and all bait and bait containers are removed. A person may store the pots in the water

   1. (1) for no more than seven days after the closure to fishing for Dungeness crab in

      1. (A) Registration Areas A, D, and H;
      2. (B) a district in Registration Area J; or
      3. (C) the Copper River District of Registration Area E; and

   2. (2) for no more than 72 hours after the closure to fishing for Dungeness crab in

      1. (A) any portion of Registration Areas A, D, and H; or
      2. (B) any portion of a district in Registration Areas J and E, except in a portion of the Copper River District of Registration Area E.
3. (c) The operator of a vessel fishing for Dungeness crab may obtain an extension to a deadline set out in (b) of this section if, due to a major vessel breakdown or extreme weather conditions, the vessel operator is unable to remove the pots from the waters before the deadline set out in (b) of this section. To obtain the extension authorized by this subsection, the vessel operator shall contact in person, or by radio or telephone, with a local representative of the department at a landing port or inspection point specified in this chapter or by the department and request a time extension. If the local representative determines that the circumstances described in this subsection are met, the local representative will grant a time extension to the vessel operator that is reasonable under the circumstances.

(Eff. 5/8/98, Register 146)

Authority: AS 16.05.251