Contact:
Kelly Piazza
Ketchikan Area Management Biologist
Phone: 907-225-2859

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Sport Fish announced today that the bag and possession limit for king salmon in the terminal waters of Herring Bay, from June 1 through July 31, 2015, is increased to 6 king salmon of any size.  King salmon harvested in the terminal harvest area will not count toward the nonresident annual limit.. The terminal harvest area is defined as follows: 

Herring Bay Area:

The waters of Herring Bay west of a line from the southernmost entrance of Hole-In-The-Wall harbor at 55°19.110’ N. lat., 131°31.187’ W. long. to ADF&G markers located ½ mile north of Whitman Creek (signed and painted rocks) at 55°20.125’ N. lat., 131°30.126’ W long., to the fresh/salt water boundary signs located at the mouth of Herring Cove Creek (see attached map).

The Alaska Board of Fisheries authorized the department to use its emergency order authority to open terminal harvest areas to target surplus Alaska hatchery king salmon. The area opened by this emergency order will allow anglers to target Alaska hatchery-produced king salmon originating from the Whitman Lake hatchery in the Ketchikan area. Projected returns to this facility will exceed broodstock needs, thus a surplus of hatchery fish are available for harvest by sport anglers.

Anglers are reminded that bag, possession and size limits for the salt waters outside of the designated terminal harvest areas are more restrictive than the limits inside the terminal areas and anglers are prohibited from possessing fish that exceed the limits for the waters where they are fishing.  Therefore, anglers fishing in multiple areas must be diligent to ensure they do not exceed the bag, possession, or size limit for the area they are currently fishing.

Anyone needing information on this subject should call the Ketchikan ADF&G, Division of Sport Fish office at 225-2859.