Contact:
Audra Brase
Tanana River Area Management Biologist
Phone: 907-459-7244
July 27, 2012
All waters of the Chena River drainage and the Tanana River within a 1/2 mile radius of the mouth of the Chena River will be closed to king salmon fishing effective 12:01 a.m., Monday, July 30, 2012. This closure prohibits all sport fishing for king salmon, including catch-and-release fishing. King salmon may not be retained or possessed. King salmon incidentally caught while fishing for other species may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately. In addition, the use of bait remains prohibited in the Chena River.
The Tanana River drainage king salmon sport fisheries are managed using inseason estimated run abundance and escapement information from the Tanana River and its major king salmon spawning tributaries, the Chena and Salcha rivers. The plan states that the fisheries will be managed to achieve escapements in the Salcha and Chena rivers that fall within the Biological Escapement Goal (BEG) ranges. The king salmon BEG range for the Chena River is 2,800 – 5,700 fish.
As of Friday, July 27, only about 1,400 king salmon have passed the counting tower on the Chena River. The escapement projection, based on current counts, indicates that the lower end of the escapement goal range may not be achieved. Even though the Chena River has been closed to king salmon retention since July 21, this additional restrictive action is warranted because the Chena River king salmon run strength is insufficient to sustain the incidental mortality that may occur during catch and release fishing.
All other Tanana River tributaries (including the Salcha, Chatanika, Nenana and Goodpaster rivers) remain closed to retention of king salmon and bait remains prohibited.
For additional information contact Audra Brase, Tanana Area Management Biologist, 907-459-7244 or Tom Taube, Regional Management Biologist, 907-459-7225.