Southeast Alaska King Salmon Regulations For 2020

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

Sport Fishing Regulations For King Salmon In Southeast Alaska And The Juneau Area For 2020

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced today the 2020 region wide sport fishing regulations for king salmon in Southeast Alaska and the modifications for the Juneau Area. The following region wide regulations, are effective 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, February 12, 2020 through 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, March 31, 2021:

Alaska Resident

  • The resident bag and possession limit is one king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length.
  • From October 1, 2020 through March 31, 2021 a resident angler may use two rods when fishing for salmon.

Nonresident

  • The nonresident bag and possession limit is one king salmon, 28 inches of greater in length.
  • From January 1 through June 30, the nonresident total harvest limit is three king salmon;
  • From July 1 through July 7, the nonresident total harvest limit is two king salmon, any king salmon harvested from January 1 through June 30 will apply toward the two fish total harvest limit;
  • From July 8 through December 31, the nonresident total harvest limit is one king salmon, any king salmon harvested from January 1 through July 7 will apply toward the one fish total harvest limit;
  • Immediately upon landing and retaining a king salmon a nonresident must enter the species, date and location, in ink, on the back of their sport fishing license or on a nontransferable harvest record.

The Southeast region wide bag and possession limits above will apply in all areas except as modified below for the inside waters in the vicinity of Juneau:

Marine waters near Juneau except Seymour Canal: (The northern portion of District 9, District 10, Sections 11-A, 11-B, 11-C, District 12, Portion of Section 13-C southeast of a line between Nismeni Pt. and a point on the Chichagof Island shoreline at 57°35.59′ N. lat., 135°22.33′ W. long., Sections 14-B and 14-C, and District 15 south of the latitude of Sherman Rock; see attached Map #1)

April 1 – June 15: The retention of king salmon is prohibited, any king salmon caught must be released immediately.

June 15 – December 31:

  • Alaska resident:
    • The bag and possession limit is two king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length.
  • Nonresident:
    • The bag and possession limit is one king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length;
    • From June 15 through June 30, the total harvest limit is three king salmon;
    • From July 1 through July 7, the nonresident total harvest limit is two king salmon, any king salmon harvested from January 1 through June 30 will apply toward the two fish total harvest limit;
    • From July 8 through December 31, the nonresident total harvest limit is one king salmon, any king salmon harvested from January 1 through July 7 will apply toward the one fish total harvest limit;
    • Immediately upon landing and retaining a king salmon a nonresident must enter the species, date and location, in ink, on the back of their sport fishing license or on a nontransferable harvest record.

Seymour Canal, Section 11-D: (The marine waters adjacent to King Salmon River including the waters of Seymour Canal north of 57° 37′ N. latitude; see attached Map #1)

April 1 – June 30: In Seymour Canal, Section 11-D, closed to king salmon fishing, all anglers may not target or retain king salmon.

July 1 – December 31:

  • Alaska resident:
    • The bag and possession limit is two king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length.
  • Nonresidents:
    • From July 1 through July 7, the nonresident total harvest limit is two king salmon, any king salmon harvested from January 1 through June 30 will apply toward the two fish total harvest limit;
    • From July 8 through December 31, the nonresident total harvest limit is one king salmon, any king salmon harvested from January 1 through July 7 will apply toward the one fish total harvest limit;
    • Immediately upon landing and retaining a king salmon a nonresident must enter the species, date and location, in ink, on the back of their sport fishing license or on a nontransferable harvest record.

A separate news release will be issued at a later date announcing king salmon regulations for locations where Alaska hatchery-produced king salmon are expected to return. Fishing opportunity in the Juneau designated sport terminal harvest area will open on June 15, 2020.

Anglers fishing north of the Juneau area should review the news release announcing regulations for the Haines/Skagway area. Anglers fishing south of the Juneau area should review the news release announcing regulations for the Petersburg/Wrangell and Ketchikan areas.

For further information concerning this announcement please contact Juneau Area Management Biologist, Daniel Teske at (907) 465-8152.

SPORT FISHING REGULATIONS FOR KING SALMON IN SOUTHEAST ALASKA AND THE JUNEAU AREA FOR 2020

YAKUTAT

Juneau – The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is announcing the 2020 sport fishing regulations for king salmon in Southeast Alaska and Yakutat. These regulations will be effective 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, February 12, 2020 through 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, March 31, 2021. The regulations are:

  • Alaskan Resident
    • The resident bag and possession limit is one king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length.
    • From October 1 through March 31, a resident sport angler may use two rods when fishing for king salmon, a person using two rods under this paragraph may only retain salmon;
  • Nonresident
    • The nonresident bag and possession limit is one king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length;
    • From January 1 through June 30, the total harvest limit is three king salmon 28 inches or greater in length;
    • From July 1 through July 7, the total harvest limit is two king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length, and any king salmon harvested from January 1 through June 30 will apply toward the two fish total harvest limit;
    • From July 8 through December 31, the total harvest limit is one king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length, and any king salmon harvested from January 1 through July 7 will apply toward the one fish total harvest limit;
    • Immediately upon landing and retaining a king salmon a nonresident must enter the species, date and location, in ink, on the back of their sport fishing license or on a nontransferable harvest record.

King salmon non-retention areas in the Haines, Skagway, Juneau, Petersburg, Wrangell and Ketchikan vicinity will be in effect beginning April 1 in order to protect wild Alaska king salmon stocks. These will be announced separately.

The Southeast Alaska king salmon sport fishery is managed under the directives of the Southeast Alaska King Salmon Management Plan (5 AAC 47.055). This plan prescribes the above management measures based upon the Southeast Alaska Winter Troll CPUE. The Southeast Alaska Winter Troll CPUE for the 2020 season is 4.83 which equates to 37,900 king salmon allocated to the sport fishery. To address the implementation of the new treaty agreement which includes provisions to reduce the Alaska harvest ceiling the following year if the Alaska harvest ceiling is exceeded, the Southeast Alaska king salmon sport fishery will be conservatively managed for a total king salmon treaty harvest of 37,120 fish. The Southeast Alaska king salmon fishery will be monitored in season and management action will be taken if needed to keep the sport fishery within the sport allocation.

For further information regarding sport fisheries in Southeast Alaska, contact the nearest ADF&G office or visit: https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/sf/EONR/index.cfm

HAINES/SKAGWAY AREA

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced today the 2020 region wide sport fishing regulations for king salmon in Southeast Alaska and the modifications for the Haines/Skagway Area. The following region wide regulations, are effective 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, February 12, 2020 through 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, March 31, 2021:

Alaska Resident

  • The resident bag and possession limit is one king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length.
  • From October 1, 2020 through March 31, 2021 a resident angler may use two rods when fishing for salmon.

Nonresident

  • The nonresident bag and possession limit is one king salmon, 28 inches of greater in length.
  • From January 1 through June 30, the nonresident total harvest limit is three king salmon;
  • From July 1 through July 7, the nonresident total harvest limit is two king salmon, any king salmon harvested from January 1 through June 30 will apply toward the two fish total harvest limit;
  • From July 8 through December 31, the nonresident total harvest limit is one king salmon, any king salmon harvested from January 1 through July 7 will apply toward the one fish total harvest limit;
  • Immediately upon landing and retaining a king salmon a nonresident must enter the species, date and location, in ink, on the back of their sport fishing license or on a nontransferable harvest record.

The Southeast region wide bag and possession limits above will apply in all areas except as modified below for the inside waters in the vicinity of Haines/Skagway:

All anglers

  • From April 1 through July 15: The waters of Chilkat Inlet, north of the ADF&G regulatory marker immediately north of Seduction Point (see attached map) will be closed to king salmon sport fishing.
  • From April 1 through December 31: In Section 15-A, the waters of Lynn Canal north of the latitude of Sherman Rock (see attached map), the retention of king salmon is prohibited; any king salmon caught must be released immediately and returned to the water unharmed.

The 2020 total run forecast for Chilkat River king salmon is fewer than 1,550 large fish, which is below the lower end of the escapement goal range (1,850 to 3,600 large fish). When the run forecast is below the goal range, the Lynn Canal and Chilkat River King Salmon Management Plan prescribes closing Chilkat Inlet to king salmon sport fishing through July 15. Because of continued poor marine production of Chilkat River king salmon, the Alaska Board of Fisheries in 2018 adopted the Chilkat River and King Salmon River King Salmon Stock Status and Action Plan, which specifies nonretention of king salmon in Section 15-A until the Chilkat River stock has recovered.

Fishery conservation actions are being taken in a region wide effort to reduce harvest of Southeast Alaska wild king salmon in all fisheries, including sport, commercial, personal use, and subsistence. Anglers fishing south of the Haines/Skagway area should review the news releases announcing sport fishery regulations specific to the JuneauPetersburg/Wrangell and Ketchikan areas.

For further information concerning this announcement, please contact Haines/Skagway Area Management Biologist, Richard Chapell at (907) 766-3638.

SPORT FISHING REGULATIONS FOR KING SALMON IN SOUTHEAST ALASKA AND THE HAINES/SKAGWAY AREA FOR 2020

PETERSBURG/WRANGELL AREA

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced today the 2020 region wide sport fishing regulations for king salmon in Southeast Alaska and the modifications for the Petersburg/Wrangell Area. The following region wide regulations, are effective 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, February 12, 2020 through 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, March 31, 2021:

Alaska Resident

  • The resident bag and possession limit is one king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length.
  • From October 1, 2020 through March 31, 2021 a resident angler may use two rods when fishing for salmon.

Nonresident

  • The nonresident bag and possession limit is one king salmon, 28 inches of greater in length.
  • From January 1 through June 30, the nonresident total harvest limit is three king salmon;
  • From July 1 through July 7, the nonresident total harvest limit is two king salmon, any king salmon harvested from January 1 through June 30 will apply toward the two fish total harvest limit;
  • From July 8 through December 31, the nonresident total harvest limit is one king salmon, any king salmon harvested from January 1 through July 7 will apply toward the one fish total harvest limit;
  • Immediately upon landing and retaining a king salmon a nonresident must enter the species, date and location, in ink, on the back of their sport fishing license or on a nontransferable harvest record.

The Southeast region wide bag and possession limits above will apply in all areas except as modified below for the inside waters in the vicinity of Petersburg/Wrangell:

In the majority of marine waters within the management area: (Districts 6, 10 and portions of District 5, District 7, and District 9; see attached map)

  • April 1 to June 14, 2020: The retention of king salmon is prohibited, any king salmon caught must be released immediately.
  • June 15 to December 31, 2020: Alaska resident bag and possession limit is two king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length.

In the waters adjacent to the Stikine River: (District 8 and a portion of Eastern Passage near Wrangell; see attached map)

  • April 1 to July 14, 2020: The retention of king salmon is prohibited, any king salmon caught must be released immediately.
  • July 15 to December 31, 2020: Alaska resident bag and possession limit is two king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length.

A separate news release will be issued at a later date announcing king salmon regulations for locations where Alaska hatchery-produced king salmon are expected to return. Fishing opportunity in the Anita Bay terminal harvest area and Blind Slough terminal harvest area will open on June 1, 2020 and the City Creek release site will open June 15, 2020.

Anglers fishing north of the Petersburg/Wrangell area should review the news release announcing regulations for the Juneau and Haines/Skagway areas. Anglers fishing south of the Petersburg/Wrangell area should review the news release announcing regulations for the Ketchikan area.

For further information concerning this announcement please contact Petersburg/Wrangell Area Management Biologist, Patrick Fowler at (907) 772-5231.

SPORT FISHING REGULATIONS FOR KING SALMON IN SOUTHEAST ALASKA AND THE PETERSBURG/WRANGELL AREA FOR 2020