1. (a) The department shall manage Tanner crab stocks in Registration Area A to minimize the spread, and to reduce the incidence, of bitter crab syndrome (BCS). The department shall identify areas of significant infection by BCS, in which the following restrictions apply:

   1. (1) a person shall contact a local representative of the department before fishing for Tanner crab in an area of significant infection by BCS and shall contact a local representative of the department before leaving the area; all fishing vessels shall deliver all Tanner crab harvested in an area of significant infection by BCS to a tender or processor, and may not discard the crab overboard;

   2. (2) an operator of a tender vessel shall contact a local representative of the department before operating in an area of significant infection by BCS; an operator of a tender vessel that takes crab on board in such an area

      1. (A) shall transport all Tanner crab harvested in the BCS area directly to a processing facility;
      2. (B) may not accept Tanner crab from fishing vessels after leaving the area;
      3. (C) shall hold Tanner crab infected with BCS in containers that do not contain circulating sea water.
2. (b) By emergency order, the department may open the commercial Tanner crab season after October 1 in areas of significant infection by BCS.

(Eff. 6/24/93, Register 126; am 9/29/96, Register 139)

Authority: AS 16.05.060, AS 16.05.251