Contact:
Jeff Regnart, Barry Stratton
Regional Supervisors
Phone: (907) 267-2105

ADF&G inseason assessments indicate that the Kenai River sockeye salmon run will exceed 2,000,000 fish. ADF&G has also determined the run is returning later and stronger than anticipated. The Upper Cook Inlet commercial harvest through August 6 is over 2.0 million sockeye salmon. In addition, over 440,000 sockeye salmon have passed the Kenai River sonar at River Mile 19 during the last 10 days, with 76,000 just this past weekend. Through August 6, almost 911,000 sockeye salmon have passed the Kenai River sonar at River Mile 19. The lower end of the optimum escapement goal (500,000 – 1,000,000 sockeye salmon) has been achieved.

At this run strength, the Kenai River Late-Run Sockeye Salmon Management Plan contains the following provisions:

1. Manage for an in-river goal of 750,000 to 950,000 sockeye salmon past the sonar counter;
2. No more than 51 hours per week of Emergency Order fishing time for the Upper subdistrict set gillnet fishery;
3. The Upper Subdistrict set gillnet fishery will be closed for one continuous 36 hour period beginning Thursday evening to Friday morning, and an additional 24 hour period during the same week; and
4. The bag and possession limit for the sport fishery may be increased to six sockeye salmon.

Per the Management Plan, ADF&G staff have increased the bag and possession limit for salmon 16” or longer to six (6) fish per day and in possession in all portions of the Kenai River open to salmon fishing, except in the Russian River and the Kenai River “fly-fishing-only waters” near the Russian River. No more than two salmon per day may be silver (coho) salmon.

The daily bag limit for the Russian River and the Kenai River “fly-fishing-only waters” near the Russian River remains 3 per day and 3 in possession, of which only 1 per day and 1 in possession may be a silver salmon. A complete description of the Kenai River/Russian River fly-fishing-only waters is found on page 31 of the 2006 Southcentral Alaska sport fishing regulation summary.

The increased bag limits do not apply to pink salmon, which remain 6 per day and 6 in possession, in addition to the 6 other salmon. The limit for salmon under 16” remains 10 per day and 10 in possession, in any combination.

With this most recent run assessment, ADF&G will manage the commercial fisheries through Thursday, August 10 based on the management plan regulating runs between 2 million - 4 million fish to the Kenai River. According to provisions of the Kenai River Late-Run Sockeye Salmon Management Plan the commercial fishery is scheduled to close after August 10.