Contact:
Tom Vania
Regional Management Biologist
Phone: (907) 267-2131
July 13, 2012
King salmon may not be retained in the salt waters of Cook Inlet while sport fishing within one mile of shore south of the latitude of the mouth of the Ninilchik River to the latitude of Bluff Point beginning 12:01 a.m., Monday, July 16, 2012, through 11:59 p.m., Tuesday, July 31, 2012. Catch-and-release fishing for king salmon is allowed, but king salmon may not be retained or possessed. King salmon that are caught may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately.
King salmon stocks in Cook Inlet and throughout Alaska are experiencing a period of low productivity and low run strength. The department’s information, including data from inriver assessment programs, indicates that the Kenai River late-run is also experiencing low strength. As of July 12, all indices used to assess inriver abundance indicate a run that is well below average and are currently projected to be well under their respective inseason management objective by the end of the run in early August. The Kenai inriver sport fishery is currently restricted to catch-and-release/trophy fishing in an effort to ensure adequate escapement of Kenai River late-run king salmon. Therefore, it is justified to prohibit retention of king salmon in salt waters within one mile of shore while Kenai River late-run king salmon migrate through the area and into fresh water.
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