Contact:
Brendan Scanlon
Northwest & North Slope Area Management Biologist
Phone: 907-459-7268
May 21, 2015
The Division of Sport Fish is closing all waters from Black Point to Point Romanof to sport fishing for king salmon, effective 12:01 a.m. Monday, June 8, 2015. This closure includes marine waters as well as freshwaters including, but not limited to, the Koyuk, Ungalik, Inglutalik, Shaktoolik, Unalakleet, and Golsovia river drainages. This emergency order prohibits the targeting of king salmon while sport fishing in these waters. Any king salmon caught may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately.
Preseason projections indicate that king salmon runs into the rivers of southern Norton Sound will be poor. The king salmon Biological Escapement Goal (BEG) at the North River counting tower on the Unalakleet River is 1,200 – 2,600 fish, and has been met just 3 times in the previous 10 years (2005 – 2014). King salmon stocks throughout western Alaska are experiencing a period of low productivity and, since 2010 below average run strength, and since 2006 in the Unalakleet River drainage.
The Department does not have escapement goals for king salmon in the Koyuk, Ungalik, Inglutalik, Shaktoolik, or Golsovia rivers, but there is no indication that king salmon runs in southern Norton Sound are going to be better than those in other western Alaska drainages such as the Yukon and Kuskokwim river drainages, both of which have already been closed to sport fishing for king salmon by emergency order. Subsistence fishing closures for king salmon will be implemented in southern Norton Sound waters beginning June 8th. The Department will continue to evaluate inseason run strength and take appropriate management actions to ensure that escapement requirements are met.
The Department will evaluate inseason run strength and take appropriate management actions to ensure that escapement requirements are met. If inseason stock assessment information indicates that the king salmon escapement goal in the Unalakleet River will be met, restrictions will be relaxed.
For additional information contact Brendan Scanlon, Northwest & North Slope Area Management Biologist, 907-459-7268.