Hatchery King Salmon Fishing Opportunities Opening In Southeast Alaska (UPDATED)
The following releases are courtesy of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game: (Updated with Juneau and Hidden Falls information)
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced today, sport fishing regulations for Alaska hatchery-produced king salmon in areas near Petersburg and Wrangell.
Wrangell Narrows/Blind Slough Terminal Harvest Area
Described as that portion of Wrangell Narrows south of 56° 46′ N. latitude (Martinsens’s dock) and north and east of the northern tip of Woewodski Island and includes the freshwaters of Blind Slough upstream of a line between Blind Point and Anchor Point (see attached map). The following regulations will be in effect beginning Saturday, June 1 through Wednesday, July 31, 2019:
- Bag and possession limit (residents and nonresidents) of 2 king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length, and 2 king salmon less than 28 inches in length;
- King salmon caught by nonresidents in this area do not count toward the nonresident annual limit.
Anita Bay Terminal Harvest Area
Described as the waters of Anita Bay south and west of a line from Anita point to 56° 14.26′ N. latitude, 132° 23.92′ W. longitude.
- Anita Bay will be open to the sport fishery beginning June 1. The Southeast Alaska regional king salmon bag, possession, and annual limits will apply in Anita Bay.
City Creek Release Site
Described as the marine waters adjacent to City Creek between a marker on the Mitkof Island shore, at 56° 47.83′ N. lat., 132° 51.57′ W. long. to 56° 48.30′ N. lat., 132° 51.50′ W. long. to 56° 49.77′ N. lat., 132° 55.78′ W. long. (navigation buoy) and back to the Mitkof Island shore at Hungry Point (56° 49.36′ N. lat., 132° 56.38′ W. long.) and includes the freshwaters of City Creek (see attached map). The following regulations will be in effect beginning Saturday, June 15 through Sunday, July14, 2019:
- Bag and possession limit (residents and nonresidents) of one king salmon any size;
- Nonresident annual limits continue to apply in this area.
Anglers are reminded that when in possession of king salmon less than 28 inches in length they should not then fish in another location where possessing a king salmon under 28 inches is illegal. For further information concerning this announcement please contact Petersburg/Wrangell Area Management Biologist, Patrick Fowler at (907) 772-5231.
Beginning Saturday, June 1, through Friday, June 14, 2019, the king salmon regulations in Coffman Cove are as follows:
- In the continuous waters (black area — See Map) of Coffman Cove west of a line from the mainland of Prince of Wales Island at 56° 01.23′ N. lat., 132° 49.86′ W. long. to Coffman Island at 56° 01.37′ N. lat., 132° 50.20′ W. long. and south of a line from the mainland to Coffman Island at 56° 1.69′ N. lat.
- The bag and possession limit for all anglers is one king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length;
- The nonresident annual harvest limit is three king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length.
The Alaska Board of Fisheries authorized the department to use its emergency order authority to open terminal harvest areas to target surplus Alaska hatchery-produced king salmon. The area opened by this emergency order will allow anglers to target Alaska hatchery-produced king salmon originating from the Port Saint Nicholas hatchery near Craig. The last release of king salmon in Coffman Cove occurred in 2016, which may result in a return of up to 760 5-year-old fish in 2019. Broodstock are not collected at Coffman Cove providing a surplus of hatchery fish for harvest by sport anglers.
Anglers are reminded that until June 15, the salt waters outside of Coffman Cove Terminal Harvest Area are closed to king salmon retention. Therefore, anglers fishing in multiple areas for other species must be diligent to ensure they do not possess king salmon in areas that prohibit the retention of king salmon. On June 15, 2019 regionwide regulations will apply in these areas.
For further information concerning this announcement please contact Prince of Wales Area Management Biologist, Craig Schwanke at (907) 826-2498.
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Sport Fish announced today that the bag and possession limit for all anglers in three Ketchikan terminal harvest areas, is one king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length. For nonresidents, the annual limit is three king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length. The terminal harvest areas are defined as follows:
Open June 1- June 14, 2019:
- Thomas Basin: seaward of the Stedman Street Bridge to the breakwater.
- Mountain Point Area: the waters of George and Carroll Inlets north of a line from Mountain Point at 55°17.57? N. lat., 131°32.41? W. long, to Cutter Rocks Light at 55°17.34? N. lat., 131°31.47? W. long, to 55°17.57? N. lat., 131°28.18? W. long, and south of the latitude of the George Inlet cannery site at 55°23.00 N. lat., and all waters of Carroll Inlet are open. (see attached map).
Open June 15- Aug 14, 2019:
- Neets Bay: the waters east of the longitude of the eastern most tip of Bug Island.
The Alaska Board of Fisheries authorized the department to use its emergency order authority to open terminal harvest areas to target surplus Alaska hatchery king salmon. The areas opened by this emergency order will allow anglers to target Alaska hatchery-produced king salmon originating from the Deer Mountain Hatchery, Whitman Lake Hatchery, Neets Bay Hatchery and the Carroll Inlet remote release. Projected returns to these facilities will exceed broodstock needs, thus a surplus of hatchery fish are available for harvest by sport anglers.
Anglers are reminded that until June 15 (Thomas Basin and Mountain Point) and August 15 (Neets Bay) the salt waters outside of the designated terminal harvest areas are closed to king salmon retention. Therefore, anglers fishing in multiple areas for other species must be diligent to ensure they do not possess king salmon in areas that prohibit the retention of king salmon. On June 15, 2019 regionwide regulations will apply in the Mountain Point, Thomas Basin and surrounding areas and on August 15, 2019 regionwide regulations will apply in Neets Bay and the surrounding area.
For further information concerning this announcement please contact Ketchikan Area Management Biologist, Kelly Reppert at (907) 225-2859.
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Sport Fish announced today that sport fishing regulations for hatchery-produced king salmon will be liberalized in a designated saltwater hatchery sport harvest area near Juneau (see attached map). These new regulations are intended to provide opportunity to harvest surplus hatchery-produced king salmon returning to the Juneau area.
The hatchery-produced king salmon regulations in the designated saltwater hatchery sport harvest area will be in effect from 12:01 a.m. Saturday, June 15 through 11:59 p.m. Saturday, August 31, 2019. These new regulations are as follows:
- The daily bag and possession limit is 2 king salmon of any size;
- King salmon harvested by nonresidents in the designated saltwater hatchery sport harvest area do not count toward their annual limit.
The department is liberalizing sport fishing regulations in the designated hatchery sport harvest area due to the number of returning hatchery-produced king salmon exceeding brood stock needs for the hatchery program.
Anglers should note that the bag, possession and size limits for king salmon in the salt waters outside of the designated saltwater hatchery sport harvest area are more restrictive, and that regulations prohibit anglers from possessing fish that exceed the limits for the waters where they are fishing. Therefore, anglers who catch king salmon within the designated saltwater hatchery sport harvest area may not continue to fish outside of that area if they possess king salmon that do not comply with the regional king salmon bag, possession and size limits.
For additional information contact the Division of Sport Fish Region 1 office in Juneau at (907) 465-4270
Beginning Saturday, June 1 through Friday, June 14, 2019, the king salmon regulations in the vicinity of Hidden Falls Hatchery are as follows:
- In the waters within one nautical mile of the Baranof Island shoreline south of the latitude of South Point and north of 57°06.83? N. latitude excluding waters of Kelp Bay and westward to a line from 57°13.18′ N. latitude, 134°51.88′ W. longitude to 57°12.91′ N. latitude, 134°51.50′ W. longitude to 57°12.81′ N. latitude, 134°51.48′ W. longitude to a point on the Baranof Island shore at 57°12.65′ N. latitude, 134°51.48′ W. longitude as identified by the crosshatched area (See Map):
- The bag a possession limit for all anglers is one king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length;
- The nonresident annual limit is three king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length;
- In the remaining waters of Kasnyku Bay identified by the black shaded area (See Map):
- Closed to the retention of king salmon.
King salmon returning to Hidden Falls Hatchery are expected to meet broodstock goals in 2019 allowing for some harvest opportunity for these king salmon of hatchery origin. For further information, contact the Sitka ADF&G office at 907-747-5355 or visit:
http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/sf/
Alaska Salmon 2011: Not Too Shabby
Prime Time For Face Time At Sportsmen’s Shows
EPA: Potential ‘Adverse Impacts’ On Bristol Bay Salmon Fishery With Pebble Mine; Comment Period On Draft Study Open Into July
About Author
