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

The Chitina Subdistrict will open for a 168-hour period from 12:01 a.m. Monday, June 20 through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, June 26. In addition, effective 12:01 a.m. Monday, June 20, the Chitina dip net fishery will be closed to the retention of king salmon for the remainder of the season. King salmon incidentally taken must be released immediately and returned to the water unharmed.

As a reminder, the Copper River Personal Use Dip Net Salmon Fishery Management Plan and the Statewide Personal Use Fishing Regulations as of June 20 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 June 6 – June 12, there were 115,439 salmon counted past the Miles Lake sonar. The preseason projection for this period was 90,770 salmon, which results in a surplus of 24,669 salmon. Copper River sockeye salmon migratory timing and the previous five-year average harvest and participation rates indicate sufficient numbers of salmon available to maintain 168 hours of fishing time during the week of June 20 – June 26.

The king salmon run to the Copper River appears to be weaker than the preseason forecast of 64,000 king salmon and run timing earlier than average. The cumulative commercial harvest, as of June 12, is approximately 10,554 king salmon. This is below the expected level, and is the 7th lowest cumulative harvest through this date since 1980. For comparison, cumulative harvest through June 12, 2015 was 17,746 king salmon.

Catch rates in the Native Village of Eyak research fish wheels through June 12 indicate early run timing and a cumulative catch less than the average for this date. Additionally, recapture rates of king salmon have been exceptionally high and project a potential inriver return below the lower end escapement goal for the Copper River drainage of 24,000 king salmon.
A cumulative count of 18 king salmon have passed the Gulkana River king salmon counting tower through June 12. These counts are 30% of the average for this date and with the king salmon run approximately 5 days early into the Copper River, the Gulkana River tower counts should be significantly higher than currently observed. Given the uncertainty associated with all of the indicators of Copper River king salmon abundance, a precautionary management approach in the upper Copper River fisheries is warranted.

The Copper River King Salmon Fishery Management Plan directs the department to manage the Copper River fisheries to achieve a sustainable escapement goal in the upper Copper River of 24,000 or more king salmon. From 2002–2008, Copper River king salmon escapement averaged 33,316 fish. From 2009–2015 spawning escapement averaged 24,820 king salmon and fell below the escapement goal in 2 of 7 years. Inseason run strength indicators through June 12, and generally poor stock performance trend over the last 7 years, indicate the need to take restrictive action and therefore justify prohibiting the retention of king salmon in the Chitina Subdistrict personal use dip net fishery to ensure achievement of the sustainable escapement goal.
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.