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

The Chitina Subdistrict will open for continuous fishing from 12:01 a.m. Monday, August 15 through 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, August 31. The Chitina dip net fishery remains closed to the retention of king salmon. King salmon incidentally taken must be released immediately and returned to the water unharmed. The fishery will remain open continuously by regulation from September 1 to 30.

As a reminder, the Copper River Personal Use Dip Net Salmon Fishery Management Plan and the Statewide Personal Use Fishing Regulations as of August 15 state that:

• The annual limit is 25 salmon for the head of household and 10 salmon for each dependent of the permit holder.
• 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.
• 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 July 25 – July 31, there were a combined total counted and projected 21,904 salmon past the Miles Lake sonar. The preseason projection for this period was 40,045 salmon, which results in a deficit of 18,141 salmon. Copper River sockeye salmon migratory timing, anticipated salmon passage based on current trends and projected passage, and the previous five-year average harvest and participation rates indicate sufficient numbers of salmon to allow continuous fishing through August 31.

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.
The Department urges dipnetters to respect the rights of private landowners in the area and know the regulations before fishing. For information on access across private lands contact Chitina Native Corporation at (907) 823-2223.

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 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.