(Juneau) - The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is announcing revised 2021 sport fishing regulations for king salmon in Southeast Alaska and Yakutat. These regulations will be effective 12:01 a.m. Monday, June 21, 2021, through 11:59 p.m. Thursday, March 31, 2022. The regulations are:

• Alaskan Resident
  • The resident bag and possession limit is two king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length;
  • From October 1, 2021, through March 31, 2022, a sport angler may use two rods when fishing for king salmon, a person using two rods under this regulation may only retain salmon.
• Nonresident
  • The nonresident bag and possession limit is one king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length;
  • From January 1 through June 30, a nonresident's total harvest limit is three king salmon 28 inches or greater in length;
  • From July 1 through July 7, a nonresident's total harvest limit is two king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length, and any king salmon harvested by the nonresident from January 1 through June 30 will apply toward the two fish total harvest limit;
  • From July 8 through December 31, a nonresident's total harvest limit is one king salmon 28 inches or greater in length, and any king salmon harvested by the nonresident from January 1 through July 7 will apply toward the one fish total harvest limit;
  • Immediately upon landing and retaining a king salmon a nonresident must enter the species, date, and location on their sport fishing license or on a nontransferable harvest record;

The Southeast regionwide bag and possession limits above will apply in all areas except as modified below for the inside waters in the vicinity of Ketchikan:

North and Northeast Behm Canal (see map)

Area Description: In Behm Canal and the contiguous bays enclosed to the north by a line from the western entrance of Bailey Bay to the northern tip of Hassler Island and a line from Fin Point to Dress Point to a line from Cactus Point to Point Eva.

• Salmon fishing is closed year-round.

West Behm Canal, Southeast Behm Canal, and Southern Revillagigedo Channel (see map)

Area Description: In West Behm Canal and the contiguous bays enclosed to the north by a line from the western entrance of Bailey Bay to the northern tip of Hassler Island and a line from Fin Point to Dress Point and to the south by a line from Indian Point to Mike Point. In the waters of southern Revillagigedo Channel enclosed from a line from Lucky Point to Middy Point and enclosed by a line from Kah Shakes Point to Point Rosen including the waters of Boca de Quadra and continuing to the Annette Island 3,000-foot boundary at the latitude of Beaver Point and in southeast Behm Canal from Cactus Point to Eva Point.

• April 1 to August 14: King salmon retention is prohibited, king salmon may not be retained or possessed; any king salmon caught must be released immediately and returned to the water unharmed.

Remaining waters of District 1 (see map)

Area Description: In the marine waters of Ketchikan north and east from the International Boundary Line at Dixon Entrance from 54°42.48' N. lat., 130°36.92' W. long. to 54°40' N. lat., 131°45' W. long., continuing north to Caamano Point and enclosed to the north by a line from Indian Point to Mike Point and enclosed to the southeast by a line from Lucky Point to Middy Point, and enclosed by a line from Kah Shakes Point to Point Rosen and continuing to the Annette Island 3,000 foot boundary at the latitude of Beaver Point.

• April 1 to June 14: King salmon retention is prohibited, king salmon may not be retained or possessed; any king salmon caught must be released immediately and returned to the water unharmed.
• June 15 to August 14:
  • The Alaska resident bag and possession limit is one king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length.
  • For nonresidents, regionwide regulations apply.

District 2 (see map)

• April 1 to June 14: King salmon retention is prohibited, king salmon may not be retained or possessed; any king salmon caught must be released immediately and returned to the water unharmed.

King salmon regulations for non-retention areas and designated sport fish hatchery areas in the Haines, Skagway, Juneau, Petersburg, Wrangell, and Ketchikan vicinity remain in effect and are unchanged by these new regulations.

The Southeast Alaska king salmon sport fishery is managed under the directives of the Southeast Alaska King Salmon Management Plan (5 AAC 47.055), which prescribes management measures based upon the Southeast Alaska Winter Troll CPUE. The Southeast Alaska Winter Troll CPUE for the 2021 season is 3.85 which equates to 37,900 king salmon allocated to the sport fishery. To address the implementation of the new Pacific Salmon Treaty agreement which includes provisions to reduce the Alaska harvest ceiling the following year if the Alaska harvest ceiling is exceeded, the Southeast Alaska king salmon sport fishery is being conservatively managed for a total king salmon treaty harvest of 37,120 fish. Although sport fishing effort in Southeast Alaska is lower than expected the harvest rate in the sport fishery is double what was anticipated. With higher than average harvest rates under the current regional king salmon regulations the sport fishery is expected to exceed its king salmon allocation by 3,460 to 12,650 fish. By enacting the new king salmon regulations listed above the sport fishery is expected to stay within its allocation. The Southeast Alaska king salmon fishery will be monitored in-season and additional management action will be taken if needed to keep the sport fishery within the sport allocation.

For further information concerning this announcement please contact the Ketchikan ADF&G office at (907) 225-2859 or visit the Emergency Orders and Press Releases page.

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