Contact:
Carol Kerkvliet
Fisheries Biologist
Phone: (907) 235-1730

Sport fishing in the Anchor River will be open during five 3-day weekends (Saturday–Monday) for 2012: May 19–21, May 26–28, June 2–4, June 9–11, and June 16–18. The river will not open to sport fishing on Wednesdays, as stated in the 2012 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulation Summary booklet. In addition, the ADF&G regulatory marker will be relocated downstream to approximately 1,000 feet downstream of the junction of the North and South forks beginning 12:01 a.m., Saturday, May 19, 2012, through 11:59 p.m., Tuesday, July 31, 2012. These changes are being taken to conserve Anchor River king salmon; moving the ADF&G regulatory marker downstream will protect king salmon that commonly hold in the location known as the “bridge hole.” 

The sustainable escapement goal (SEG) for Anchor River king salmon is 3,800 – 10,000 fish. Despite recent management actions to reduce king salmon harvest in the Anchor River sport fisheries, the king salmon SEG has not been achieved since 2008, and expected abundance of the 2012 run is below the historical average. The recent poor king salmon runs and uncertainty over how quickly the run may rebound justify starting the 2012 season with a reduced amount of fishing time and area. These steps are being taken in advance of the season to reduce the need for more disruptive action during the season.

The department will monitor king salmon escapement in the Anchor River as the run develops and determine whether additional management actions will be necessary to achieve the escapement goal.

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