This action does not change king salmon regulations in hatchery areas or during the time periods where special action has been taken to protect Alaska wild stock king salmon (see attached map).

Due to reduced nonresident harvest in the sport fishery related to COVID-19 travel restrictions, the sport harvest of king salmon will continue to be significantly below the Southeast Alaska sport fishery king salmon allocation unless harvest opportunity is increased. This action liberalizes king salmon daily bag limits and the nonresident annual limit while keeping the sport fishery within its allocation.

The following regionwide regulations are effective 12:01 a.m. Saturday, July 11 through 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, September 30, 2020 as follows:

Alaska Resident

From July 11 — August 15, 2020;

• The resident bag and possession limit is four king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length,
  No annual limit;

From August 16 — September 30, 2020;

• The resident bag and possession limit is three king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length,
  No annual limit;

Nonresident

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;

From July 11 — August 15, 2020;

• The nonresident bag and possession limit is two king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length;
• The nonresident annual limit is six king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length;

From August 16 — September 30, 2020;

• The nonresident bag and possession limit is one king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length;
• The nonresident annual limit is four king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length.

The Southeast regionwide bag and possession limits listed above will apply in all areas except as modified below for waters in the vicinity of Petersburg/Wrangell as follows:

In the waters adjacent to the Stikine River:

(District 8 and a portion of Eastern Passage near Wrangell; see attached map)

• April 1 to July 14, 2020: The retention of king salmon is prohibited, any king salmon caught must be released immediately.

Hatchery Areas

This announcement does not change king salmon regulations for the City Creek or Blind Slough/Wrangell Narrows terminal harvest area where special regulations are in place to allow opportunity for Alaska hatchery-produced king salmon. Please see the announcement released on May 26, 2020 for bag, possession, and annual limits in these areas. When special regulations in these areas expire the regional king salmon regulations listed above will then be in effect. City Creek special regulations will expire at midnight on July 14 while special regulations for Blind Slough/Wrangell narrows will expire on midnight on July 31. Special regulations in the Anita Bay terminal harvest area have expired, the regional king salmon regulations listed above now apply in Anita Bay.

Anglers fishing north of the Petersburg/Wrangell area should review the news release announcing regulations for the Juneau and Haines/Skagway areas. Anglers fishing south of the Petersburg/Wrangell area should review the news release announcing regulations for the Ketchikan area.

For further information concerning this announcement please contact Petersburg/Wrangell Area Management Biologist, Patrick Fowler at (907) 772-5231.

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