(Fairbanks) – Citing a strong pink salmon run, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game is increasing the sport fish daily bag and possession limit for pink salmon from 10 to 20 fish in Norton Sound, which includes all flowing waters draining into Norton Sound from Cape Prince of Wales to Point Romanof effective 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, July 13, 2022.

Daily escapement counts of pink salmon at enumeration projects throughout Norton Sound are much higher than average and in drainages where there are escapement goals for pink salmon, all goals have been exceeded. In the Nome River, which has a sustainable escapement goal (SEG) for pink salmon of 13,000 fish, over 16,000 pink salmon have been counted as of July 11 with 75% of the run remaining. Likewise, in the North River, a tributary of the Unalakleet River which has an SEG of 25,000 pink salmon, over 468,000 pink salmon have been counted as of July 11. Other nearby drainages, while not having escapement goals or enumeration projects, track similarly to the Nome and Unalakleet Rivers and are also showing large runs of pink salmon. Due to the high escapement of pink salmon in the Nome and Unalakleet River Drainages as well as large runs of pink salmon in other drainages within Norton Sound, an increase in the bag and possession limit for pink salmon from 10 to 20 fish is warranted.

For additional information contact Brendan Scanlon, Northwest and North Slope Area Management Biologist, 907-459-7268.

#22-3389