Multiple Kenai Peninsula King Salmon Fishing Closures

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

King Salmon Sport Fishing Closure in Cook Inlet Saltwaters

(Homer) – In favor of protecting returning Kenai River late-run king salmon and ensuring sport fishing opportunities in the future, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) is closing sport fishing for king salmon, including catch-and-release, in all Cook Inlet saltwaters north of the latitude of Bluff Point (59° 40.00′ N. lat.). This regulatory change is effective 12:01 a.m. Sunday, July 17 through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, July 31, 2022. This area was closed to king salmon fishing from June 15 through July 15 through Emergency Order 2-KS-7-28-22.

ADF&G manages Kenai River late-run king salmon under guidelines provided in the Kenai River Late-Run King Salmon Management Plan to ensure adequate escapement of late-run king salmon into the Kenai River system. The optimal escapement goal (OEG) for late-run king salmon is 15,000 to 30,000 king salmon, 75 cm mid eye to tail fork and longer. The plan includes the king salmon sport fishery in Cook Inlet saltwaters north of Bluff Point and specifies that both sport fisheries, king salmon fishing in the Kenai River and king salmon fishing in Cook Inlet saltwaters north of Bluff Point, must close when the run is projected to be less than 15,000 king salmon, 75 cm mid eye to tail fork and longer.

Through July 15, 2022, approximately 2,352 king salmon, 75 cm mid eye to tail fork and longer, have passed the river mile 13.7 king salmon sonar. Inseason projections estimate an escapement of approximately 11,500 large king salmon under the current management strategy. Therefore, consistent with the management plan, it is warranted to close king salmon sport fishing in Cook Inlet saltwater north of Bluff Point.

“This closure extends the king salmon sport fishing closure in upper Cook Inlet saltwaters through the end of July to protect the Kenai Peninsula late-run stocks” stated Area Management Biologist Mike Booz. “Anglers will still be able to sport fish for king salmon in lower Cook Inlet south of Bluff Point since there the king salmon in this area are almost exclusively immature feeder king salmon comprised of non-local stocks. Anglers will also be able to still sport fish north of Bluff Point for other species such as halibut.”

In conjunction with this restriction, Emergency Order 2-KS-1-53-22 closes the Kenai River to king salmon fishing from July 17 through July 31, 2022, and one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure may be used when sport fishing for other species in the Kenai River. In addition, Emergency Order 2-KS-1-54-22 was issued closing the king salmon fishery on the Kasilof River downstream of the Sterling Highway Bridge from July 17 through July 31, 2022. Additionally, from the river mouth to the outlet of Tustumena Lake only one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure may be used during this time.

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

Kenai River Closed to King Salmon Fishing

(Soldotna) – In order to conserve returning king salmon and increase fishing opportunities in the future, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) is closing the king salmon fishery throughout the Kenai River drainage and prohibiting the use of bait and multiple hooks in the Kenai River from its mouth upstream to ADF&G markers located at the outlet of Skilak Lake. These regulatory changes are effective 12:01 a.m. Sunday, July 17 through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, July 31, 2022.

Anglers are advised this closure prohibits all sport fishing for king salmon, including catch-and-release fishing. King salmon may not be retained or possessed; king salmon caught while fishing for other species may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately. Anglers are also reminded that bait/scent and multiple hooks are prohibited on the entire Kenai River.

ADF&G manages Kenai River late-run king salmon under guidelines provided in the Kenai River Late-Run King Salmon Management Plan to ensure adequate escapement of late-run king salmon into the Kenai River system. The optimal escapement goal (OEG) for late-run king salmon is 15,000 to 30,000 king salmon 75 cm mid eye to tail fork and longer.

Through July 15, 2022, approximately 2,352 king salmon 75 cm mid eye to tail fork and longer have passed the river mile 13.7 king salmon sonar. Inseason projections estimate an escapement of approximately 11,500 large king salmon under the current level of exploitation with average run timing. Therefore, consistent with the management plan, it is warranted to close sport fishing for late-run king salmon in the Kenai River. ADF&G is also implementing restrictions and closures to the commercial and personal use fisheries.

“The 2022 late-run of king salmon abundance is significantly less than anticipated and less than what is needed to make the escapement goal. Without further restrictions the goal is not projected to be achieved,” stated Area Management Biologist Colton Lipka.

In conjunction with this restriction, Emergency Order 2-KS-1-54-22 was issued closing king salmon fishing on the Kasilof River downstream of the Sterling Highway Bridge from July 17 through July 31, 2022. Additionally, from the river mouth to the outlet of Tustumena Lake only one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure may be used during this time. In addition, Emergency Order 2-KS-7-55-22 closing all Cook Inlet saltwaters north of the latitude of Bluff Point (59° 40.00′ N. lat.) to sport fishing for king salmon, including catch-and-release from July 17 through July 31, 2022.

For additional information, please contact Colton Lipka, Area Management Biologist (907) 262-9368 or Cook Inlet Management Coordinator Matt Miller at (907) 267-2415.

Kasilof River Closed to King Salmon Fishing

(Soldotna) – In favor of protecting returning king salmon and increasing fishing opportunities in the future, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) is closing the king salmon fishery on the Kasilof River downstream of the Sterling Highway Bridge effective 12:01 a.m. Sunday, July 17 through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, July 31, 2022. Additionally, from the river mouth to the outlet of Tustumena Lake only one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure may be used during this time.

Anglers are advised this closure prohibits all sport fishing for king salmon, including catch-and-release fishing. King salmon may not be retained or possessed; king salmon caught while fishing for other species may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately. Anglers are also reminded that bait/scent and multiple hooks are prohibited downstream of the Sterling Highway Bridge.

“King salmon runs across the Kenai Peninsula are significantly below preseason expectations,” stated Area Management Biologist Colton Lipka. “Regulatory restrictions and closures have been issued across peninsula king salmon sport fisheries. These emergency orders will likely result in an increase in the sport fishing effort and catch of king salmon in the Kasilof River. Therefore, to minimize the effects of conservation actions for the Kenai River, it is warranted to close king salmon fishing on the Kasilof River to ensure adequate escapement of Kasilof River late-run king salmon.”

In conjunction with this restriction, Emergency Order 2-KS-1-53-22 closes the Kenai River to king salmon fishing from July 17 through July 31, 2022, and one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure may be used when sport fishing for other species in the Kenai River. In addition, Emergency Order 2-KS-7-55-22 closing all Cook Inlet saltwaters north of the latitude of Bluff Point (59° 40.00′ N. lat.) to sport fishing for king salmon, including catch-and-release from July 18 through
July 31, 2022.

For additional information, please contact Colton Lipka, Area Management Biologist (907) 262-9368 or Cook Inlet Management Coordinator Matt Miller at (907) 262-9368.