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ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME
Cora Campbell, Commissioner

DIVISION OF SPORT FISH
Charles O. Swanton, Director

Contact:
Mike Thalhauser
Area Management Biologist
Phone: (907) 267-2186

December 12, 2014

BOARD ADOPTS CHANGES TO PRINCE WILLIAM SOUND SPORT FISH REGULATIONS

At the December meeting in Cordova, the Board of Fisheries deliberated on regulatory proposals for Prince William Sound finfish. The board made the following three changes to the sport fishing regulations in Prince William Sound.

  1. The board repealed the Copper River Delta Special Management Area for Trout and regulations therein, aligning regulations in this area with the rest of Prince William Sound. Rainbow/steelhead/cutthroat trout within this former Special Management Area may now be taken from June 15 – April 14 with a bag and possession limit of two fish and with a size limit of at least 11 inches in length but not more than 16 inches in length.
  2. The board prohibited the use of bait for the remainder of the day after retaining a bag limit of coho salmon 16 inches or greater in length from August 15-September 15 in all freshwater drainages crossed by the Copper River Highway (from and including Eyak River to the Million Dollar Bridge, including Clear Creek at Mile 42).
  3. The board prohibited sport fishing from a vessel within 60 feet of the Prince William Sound Aquaculture hatchery barrier seine in Main Bay, and from a vessel inland of the barrier seine to the head of the bay. As a result, sport fishing from a vessel will now be prohibited from a line 60 feet seaward of the Main Bay hatchery barrier seine to the head of the bay. This regulation is intended to minimize damage to the barrier seine from sport fishing tackle and boat anchors.

These regulatory changes will take effect with the release of the 2015 Alaska Sport Fishing Regulation Summary booklets. A preliminary summary of all board actions taken at the December meeting can be found at the Alaska Board of Fisheries website at: http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=fisheriesboard.meetinginfo.

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