(Soldotna) - To protect king salmon bound for the Kasilof River, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) is implementing the following personal use fishing regulation restrictions for the Kasilof River set gillnet fishery effective 6:00 a.m. Wednesday, June 15 through 11:00 p.m. Friday, June 24, 2022. The daily fishing hours in the personal use set gillnet fishery at the mouth of the Kasilof River will be reduced by an additional six hours per day and the fishery will be open from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily from Wednesday, June 15 through Friday, June 24, 2022. This restriction in hours supersedes Emergency Order 2-KS-1-26-22 issued on June 8, 2022, which reduced daily fishing hours from 17-hours to 12-hours per a day.

ADF&G manages Kasilof River early-run king salmon to achieve a sustainable escapement goal (SEG) of 700-1,400 naturally-produced king salmon, measured at the Crooked Creek weir. King salmon runs across Cook Inlet are at record low levels and are not showing signs of improvement. Without further reductions in potential harvest, it is likely the escapement goal will not be achieved. To conserve king salmon inriver, ADF&G has also closed the Kasilof River king salmon sport fishery by emergency order.

This gillnet fishery is in conjunction with the Upper Cook Inlet personal use fisheries on the Kenai, Kasilof, and Susitna rivers, and Fish Creek and the total salmon household limit applies to a combination from all four fisheries. A 2022 Upper Cook Inlet Personal Use permit and a resident sport fishing license are required and must be in your possession while participating in the fishery. Only Alaska residents may participate in this fishery.

For additional information, please contact Area Management Biologist Colton Lipka at (907) 262-9368.

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