(Ketchikan) - The Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Sport Fish announced today that the bag and possession limit for all anglers in three Ketchikan designated hatchery sport harvest areas, is one king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length. For nonresidents, the annual limit is three king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length. The areas are defined as follows:

Open June 1- June 14, 2021:

• Thomas Basin: seaward of the Stedman Street Bridge to the breakwater.
• Mountain Point Area: the waters of George and Carroll Inlets north of a line from Mountain Point at 55° 17.57′ N. lat., 131° 32.41′ W. long, to Cutter Rocks Light at 55°17.34′ N. lat., 131°31.47′ W. long, to 55° 17.57′ N. lat., 131° 28.18′ W. long, and all waters of George Inlet and Carroll Inlet are open. (see attached map).

Open June 15- Aug 14, 2021:

• Neets Bay: the waters east of the longitude of the eastern most tip of Bug Island.

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 areas opened by this emergency order will allow anglers to target Alaska hatchery-produced king salmon originating from the Deer Mountain Hatchery, Whitman Lake Hatchery, Neets Bay Hatchery, and the Carroll Inlet remote release. Projected returns to these facilities will exceed broodstock needs, thus a surplus of hatchery fish are available for harvest by sport anglers.

Anglers are reminded that until June 15 (Thomas Basin and Mountain Point) and August 15 (Neets Bay) the salt waters outside of the designated hatchery sport harvest areas are closed to king salmon retention. Therefore, anglers fishing in multiple areas for other species must be diligent to ensure they do not possess king salmon when fishing in areas that prohibit the retention of king salmon.

For further information concerning this announcement please contact Ketchikan Area Management Biologist, Kelly Reppert at (907) 225-2859.

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