The COVID-19 pandemic will not prevent Alaskans from fishing this summer.
But, residents are being asked to take precautions to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.
“We’re not closing anything. Every fishery out there is going to run as they would normally,” said Rick Green, special assistant to the commissioner of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
On April 13, Fish and Game released guidelines aimed at allowing Alaskans to participate in sport and personal-use fisheries, while following state health mandates.
“We came up with the guidelines of how, basically, you can get through a community without interacting with the locals to stave off any possibility of spreading of COVID,” Green said.
According to the guidelines, residents should fish as close to home as possible and should not plan on stopping for supplies outside of their home communities. Fish and Game said fishermen should know and abide by any local health mandates. While fishing, the department encourages the use of face coverings and said fishermen must practice social distancing.
Social distancing could be challenging in popular fishing spots. For instance, when salmon are running the Russian River, fishermen usually line the river banks in close proximity to each other.
Green said he’s hopeful Alaskans will adapt if they need to.
“It’s going to be a challenge at the Russian River. There’s no doubt — having 6 feet between them when usually you’re shoulder to shoulder. But we could be through this by then, we just don’t know. We just wanted to give people an avenue to get out while these mandates were in effect and how they could do it safely,” he said.
The Cook Inlet herring and hooligan fisheries opened April 1. Subsistence fishing remains open and unrestricted under state health mandates.
At this point, the city of Kenai is moving ahead with planning for the July personal-use dip-net fishery as though it will happen as usual. The city is advertising to hire a fishery cashier to work at the north and south-bank fee stations.
Commercial fisheries also are gearing up. Fishing, fish processing and related businesses are considered essential and are allowed to operate under current health mandates.
However, before they can hit the water, business owners must submit and get approval for a plan of how they will operate while avoiding the spread of COVID-19. For a fish processing plant, this could include a plan for keeping all out-of-town workers quarantined together and separated from residents of the town. For a commercial operation, it could be housing a fishing crew together when they are in port to ensure they aren’t in contact with someone who might spread the virus.
It’s trickier for charter fishing. At least with commercial operations, the people involved are likely to stay the same throughout the season. With charter boats, new clients are coming every day.
Tom Taube, Deputy Director of Fish and Game Division of Sport Fish, said there’s nothing in the current mandates that force the closure of charter fishing this summer but the logistics of operating in light of current mandates will make it difficult.
“Whether they make their clients wear masks, how they keep them social distanced on their boat, that will be the biggest challenge,” Taube said.
Out-of-state clients are currently restricted from traveling to Alaska. If they do come, they’d have to quarantine for 14 days before going on their charter. It’ll be easier with in-state clients, but even then, how do you keep people six feet away on a 30-foot ocean boat, much less an even smaller river boat?
You could have the crew yell instructions from one end of the boat to the clients at the other, but that doesn’t exactly make for a quality guided fishing experience.
“You’re paying for someone to guide you I think you expect a little bit more one-on-one assistance when you’re trying to fish and giving them some guidance which might be might be a little difficult to do from 6 feet away,” Taube said.
Taube said a lot of the charter operators he’s talked to are canceling their May trips and hoping for a loosening of restrictions later in the season.
“With the crew or the deckhand or the captain trying to handle the fish for them, that might be tough to do. I know several of the guides that have called more about it they’re not planning to start up until June,” Taube said.
Sport fishing from your own boat is an easier affair. Households that are already living together don’t have to worry about social distancing. There are no restrictions on bringing your boat from, say, Anchorage, to launch and fish from Kenai, Whittier or Homer. But you’re not allowed to stop in any communities along the way. That means getting groceries, fuel, tackle and bait in your own town before you leave.
“Recreating is still an option, so this is part of along those lines. But we need to think through it and do it smartly and follow the guidance that’s provided,” Taube said.
Fishing businesses that have questions or want to submit an operations plan can email akcovidplans@ak-prepared.com.
Alaska Public Media reporter Abbey Collins contributed to this story.
