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ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME
Cora Campbell, Acting Commissioner

DIVISION OF SPORT FISH
Charles O. Swanton, Director

Contact:
Mark Somerville
UCUS Area Management Biologist
Phone: 907-822-3309

May 28, 2014

COPPER RIVER PERSONAL USE DIP NET SALMON FISHING SCHEDULE WEEK OF JUNE 2 – JUNE 8

The Chitina Subdistrict will open from 12:01 a.m. Saturday, June 7 through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, June 8.

As a reminder, the Copper River Personal Use Dip Net Salmon Fishery Management Plan and the Statewide Personal Use Fishing Regulations state that:

• The annual limit is a total of 15 salmon for a household of one, and 30 salmon for a household of two or more.
• Of the total limit only one king salmon can be kept per household.
• Personal use fishers must possess both their Chitina Personal Use fishery permit and a valid resident sport fishing license when fishing. Steelhead cannot be kept, and must be returned to the water unharmed.
• When a harvestable surplus of 50,000 salmon or greater will be present in the Chitina Subdistrict, a supplemental permit for 10 additional sockeye salmon will be issued by emergency order to Chitina Subdistrict personal use permit holders.
• Harvest must be recorded on the permit immediately.
• The tips of the tail of personal use caught fish must be clipped immediately upon landing a fish.
• Immediately is defined as before concealing the salmon from plain view or transporting the salmon from the fishing site. Fishing site means the location where the fish was removed from the water and became part of the permit holder’s bag limit.

The Copper River personal use fishery is managed under direction outlined in the Copper River Personal Use Dip Net Salmon Fishery Management Plan (5 AAC 77.591). The plan establishes the season from June 7 through September 30, and directs the department to establish weekly periods based on Miles Lake sonar counts. During May 19 – 25, there were 137,786 salmon counted past the Miles Lake sonar. The preseason projection for this period was 58,475 salmon, which results in a surplus of 79,311 salmon. Copper River sockeye salmon migratory timing and the previous five-year average harvest and participation rates indicate sufficient numbers of salmon available to maintain 48 hours of fishing time during the week of June 2 – June 8.

The plan also directs the department to allow increased annual limits when a weekly harvestable surplus of 50,000 or more salmon is available in the Chitina Subdistrict. The excess of more than 50,000 salmon above the preseason sonar projection for this period allows the supplemental harvest of 10 additional sockeye salmon for those permit holders who have already harvested their original permit limit permit.

All residents of Alaska qualify to participate in this personal use fishery. A Chitina Subdistrict Personal Use Fishing permit and a resident sport fishing license are required. There is no fee for the Chitina Subdistrict personal use fishing permit.

Information regarding the fishery can be found at the ADF&G web site: http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=PersonalUsebyAreaInteriorChitina.main. This site provides information regarding the Upper Copper River fisheries including: fishery descriptions and summaries, maps of the subdistricts, a listing of vendors that carry the permits, and links to the sonar numbers and fishing schedule emergency orders.

The current fishing schedule and river conditions will be announced on the Chitina Fishery information line at 822-5224 (Glennallen), 459-7382 (Fairbanks), and 267-2511 (Anchorage). Please contact an information phone line prior to planning your trip to Chitina to ensure that the fishery will be open when you arrive. If you have any questions regarding the Chitina Subdistrict personal use fishery, please contact the ADF&G office in Glennallen at (907) 822-3309.