king salmon

A personal-use set gillnet fishery at the mouth of the Kasilof River will close Saturday to reduce the mortality of Kenai River king salmon. The fishery will reopen Wednesday.

The declaration opens impacted fishers and related businesses to federal relief money. The U.S. Department of Commerce declared disasters for the 2021 and 2022 seasons earlier this spring.

The declaration opens set-netters up to relief funding, but it could take a long time for that money to reach individuals. A 2023 disaster declaration for the fishery is currently pending.

The plan lowers the escapement threshold for a possible East Side Set Net fishery opening from 15,000 king salmon to 14,250.

UAF processor outlines research findings into king decline

Mike Booz with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game said the department is limiting and restricting king fisheries amid a downturn in king salmon in Cook Inlet.

The fishery opened last Wednesday under catch and release restrictions. But Fish and Game Sportfish Area Manager Colton Lipka said the run’s been underperforming.

As of Sunday, only 72 large king salmon had passed through the sonar in Soldotna. That’s 200 fewer than the same time last year.

A “weak” run is again forecasted for Upper Cook Inlet sockeye – continuing a trend of poor runs that has fishermen worried about the future of the…

King salmon fishing on the Kenai River will be catch and release only in July. The Department of Fish and Game said it’s placing restrictions on the late…