Division of Sport Fish
Dave Rutz, Director

Anchorage Headquarters Office
333 Raspberry Road
Anchorage, AK 99518


Alaska Department of Fish and Game
Doug Vincent-Lang, Commissioner

P.O. Box 115526
Juneau, AK 99811-5526
www.adfg.alaska.gov


Advisory Announcement
(Released: July 16, 2022 - Expired: July 31, 2022)

CONTACT: Colton Lipka
Area Management Biologist
(907) 262-9368

Kenai River Closed to King Salmon Fishing

(Soldotna) – In order to conserve returning king salmon and increase fishing opportunities in the future, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) is closing the king salmon fishery throughout the Kenai River drainage and prohibiting the use of bait and multiple hooks in the Kenai River from its mouth upstream to ADF&G markers located at the outlet of Skilak Lake. These regulatory changes are effective 12:01 a.m. Sunday, July 17 through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, July 31, 2022.

Anglers are advised this closure prohibits all sport fishing for king salmon, including catch-and-release fishing. King salmon may not be retained or possessed; king salmon caught while fishing for other species may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately. Anglers are also reminded that bait/scent and multiple hooks are prohibited on the entire Kenai River.

ADF&G manages Kenai River late-run king salmon under guidelines provided in the Kenai River Late-Run King Salmon Management Plan to ensure adequate escapement of late-run king salmon into the Kenai River system. The optimal escapement goal (OEG) for late-run king salmon is 15,000 to 30,000 king salmon 75 cm mid eye to tail fork and longer.

Through July 15, 2022, approximately 2,352 king salmon 75 cm mid eye to tail fork and longer have passed the river mile 13.7 king salmon sonar. Inseason projections estimate an escapement of approximately 11,500 large king salmon under the current level of exploitation with average run timing. Therefore, consistent with the management plan, it is warranted to close sport fishing for late-run king salmon in the Kenai River. ADF&G is also implementing restrictions and closures to the commercial and personal use fisheries.

“The 2022 late-run of king salmon abundance is significantly less than anticipated and less than what is needed to make the escapement goal. Without further restrictions the goal is not projected to be achieved,” stated Area Management Biologist Colton Lipka.

In conjunction with this restriction, Emergency Order 2-KS-1-54-22 was issued closing king salmon fishing on the Kasilof River downstream of the Sterling Highway Bridge from July 17 through July 31, 2022. Additionally, from the river mouth to the outlet of Tustumena Lake only one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure may be used during this time. In addition, Emergency Order 2-KS-7-55-22 closing all Cook Inlet saltwaters north of the latitude of Bluff Point (59° 40.00' N. lat.) to sport fishing for king salmon, including catch-and-release from July 17 through July 31, 2022.

For additional information, please contact Colton Lipka, Area Management Biologist (907) 262-9368 or Cook Inlet Management Coordinator Matt Miller at (907) 267-2415.

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