Contact:
Robert Begich
Area Management Biologist
Phone: 907-262-9368

Retention of king salmon in the Kenai River personal use dipnet fishery will be prohibited in 2015.  Any king salmon caught incidentally may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately unharmed. The Kenai River personal use dipnet fishery will be open from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. each day, from July 10 through July 31. 

Kenai River king salmon and other king salmon stocks are experiencing a period of low productivity and below average run strength since 2009.  That trend has continued during 2015. The 2015 preseason forecast for late-run Kenai River king salmon is for a total run of approximately 22,000 fish.  This is less than one-half of the 1986–2014 average total run of approximately 57,000 fish. Considering the small run forecast and direction provided in the Kenai River Late-Run King Salmon Management Plan, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game issued an emergency order prohibiting bait in the inriver sport fishery.  Additionally, the management plan prohibits the retention of king salmon in the personal use fishery if bait is prohibited in the Kenai River sport fishery. The management plan also includes restrictions to commercial fishing.

Based on the preseason forecast, the 2015 sockeye salmon run to the Kenai River is expected to be near average. A permit is required to participate in the personal use dipnet fishery on the Kenai River. Permits and regulations that apply to the fishery are available at local vendors, ADF&G offices, and online at the Alaska Fish and Game Online Store at https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/Store/ . 

For information on Kenai River king salmon visit our website at:  http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/sf/FishCounts/index.cfm?ADFG=main.home .