King Salmon Cook Inlet Restrictions Announced

The following press releases are courtesy of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game:

King Salmon Restrictions in the Cook Inlet Salt Waters 

(Homer) – To protect returning king salmon and ensure sport fishing opportunities in the future, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) is reducing the annual limit of king salmon 20 inches or greater in length from five fish to two fish in the Cook Inlet salt waters north of the latitude of Bluff Point (59° 40.00′ N. lat.). See the map below. This regulatory change is effective 12:01 a.m. Thursday, April 1 through 11:59 p.m. Thursday, July 15, 2021. All other sport fishing regulations outlined in the 2021 Southcentral Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet (available March 2021) for Cook Inlet salt waters remain the same.

“Given the uncertainties of the 2021 king salmon run strength of Kenai Peninsula Cook Inlet stocks, ADF&G is managing this fishery conservatively from the beginning,” stated Area Management Biologist Mike Booz. “This change does not affect sport fishing regulations south of Bluff Point and anglers will still be able to harvest a combined annual limit of five king salmon 20 inches or greater in length from Cook Inlet waters.”

In conjunction with this restriction, emergency order 2-KS-7-09-21 restricts fishing gear to only one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure in the Anchor River and Deep Creek drainages from May 22 through June 23, 2021. In addition, emergency order 2-KS-7-10-21 restricts the bag and possession limit in the Ninilchik River drainage to one hatchery king salmon 20 inches or greater in length during the Memorial Day weekend (May 29 – 31), and the following two weekends and Mondays following each weekend (June 5 – 7 and June 12 – 14), and the Youth-Only Fishery (June 9). Please review these emergency orders in their entirety.

King salmon escapement monitoring will begin in May on the AnchorKenai, and Ninilchik rivers. As the runs progress, run strength will be evaluated to determine inseason management actions.

For more information, please contact Area Management Biologist Mike Booz or Assistant Area Management Biologist Holly Dickson at (907) 235-8191.

King Salmon Restrictions in the Cook Inlet Salt Waters

Anglers May Only Retain Hatchery King Salmon in the Ninilchik River 

(Homer) – To protect returning king salmon and ensure sport fishing opportunities in the future, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) is implementing the following sport fishing restrictions for king salmon in the Ninilchik River drainage effective 12:01 a.m. Saturday, May 29 through 11:59 p.m. Monday, June 14, 2021. The king salmon bag and possession limit in the Ninilchik River is limited to only hatchery king salmon. The bag and possession limits for anglers is one hatchery king salmon 20 inches or greater in length and 10 hatchery king salmon under 20 inches. Hatchery king salmon are recognized by a missing adipose fin and healed adipose fin clip scar. All naturally-produced or wild king salmon have an adipose fin, and may not be removed from the water, and must be released immediately. All other sport fishing regulations outlined in the 2021 Southcentral Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet (available March 2021) for the Ninilchik River remain the same.

Anglers may fish for king salmon on the Ninilchik River during the Memorial Day weekend (May 29 – 31, 2021), and the following two weekends and Mondays following each weekend, (June 5 – 7 and June 12 – 14). These regulation restrictions also affect the Wednesday, June 9 Youth-Only Fishery. During the Youth-Only Fishery, the bag and possession limit is one hatchery king salmon of any size. There are currently no restrictions on the hatchery-only king salmon fishery in the Ninilchik River that begins on June 16.

“The Ninilchik River hatchery king salmon run has provided good harvest opportunities the last two seasons and there will likely be a surplus of them in 2021,” stated Area Management Biologist Mike Booz. “While the wild king salmon king salmon escapement has been met annually, the broodstock collection goal has not been met in most recent years. Closing the harvest of wild fish will provide more fish towards these goals.”

In conjunction with this restriction, emergency order 2-KS-7-08-21 reduces the annual limit of king salmon 20 inches or greater in length from five to two fish in the Cook Inlet salt waters north of the latitude of Bluff Point from April 1 through July 15, 2021. In conjunction with this restriction, emergency order 2-KS-7-09-21 restricts fishing gear to only one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure in the Anchor River and Deep Creek drainages from May 22 through June 23, 2021.

King salmon escapement monitoring will begin in May using underwater video on the Ninilchik River. As the runs progress, run strength will be evaluated to determine in-season management actions.

For additional information, please contact Area Management Biologist Mike Booz or Assistant Area Management Biologist Holly Dickson at (907) 235-8191.

Gear Restrictions for the Anchor River and Deep Creek

(Homer) – To protect returning king salmon and ensure sport fishing opportunities in the future, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) is implementing the following sport fishing restrictions in the Anchor River and Deep Creek drainages effective 12:01 a.m. Saturday, May 22 through 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, June 23, 2021. Sport fishing gear is restricted to only one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure during the dates open to king salmon fishing. Single-hook means a fishhook with only one point. These streams are only open to sport fishing on the dates outlined in the 2021 Southcentral Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet (available March 2021).

“Restricting the gear will likely reduce the harvest of king salmon, but still provides anglers the opportunity to fish for king salmon in the Anchor River and Deep Creek drainages,” stated Area Management Biologist Mike Booz. “Anglers that prefer to use bait will be able to do so in the Ninilchik River for hatchery king salmon.”

In conjunction with this restriction, emergency order 2-KS-7-08-21 reduces the annual limit of king salmon 20 inches or greater in length from five to two fish in the Cook Inlet salt waters north of the latitude of Bluff Point from April 1 through July 15, 2021. In addition, emergency order 2-KS-7-10-21 restricts the bag and possession limit in the Ninilchik River drainage to one hatchery king salmon 20 inches or greater in length during the Memorial Day weekend (May 29 – 31), and the following two weekends and Mondays following each weekend (June 5 – 7 and June 12 – 14), and the Youth-Only Fishery (June 9). Please review these emergency orders in their entirety.

King salmon escapement monitoring will begin in May on the Anchor and Ninilchik rivers. As the runs progress, run strength will be evaluated to determine in-season management actions.

For more information, please contact Area Management Biologist Mike Booz or Assistant Area Management Biologist Holly Dickson at (907) 235-8191.