Contact:
Kelly Reppert
Ketchikan Area Assistant Management Biologist
Phone: (907) 225-2859

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Sport Fish announced today that the Herring Cove Special Harvest Area will close to all sport fishing at 12:01 A.M. Wednesday, September 13 through Thursday, November 30, 2006. This closure will include Herring Cove Creek upstream of the bridge which is already closed year-round and Herring Cove Creek downstream of the bridge, and that portion of Herring Cove bounded by a line from a point of land on George Inlet at the east side of Lot 39, USS 3397, bearing 18°12’ to a point of land on the southern edge of Lot 91, USS 2403. Please see attached map at

www.adfg.alaska.gov/Static-sf/EONR/images/Herringcvtermclosure06.gif

This closure is implemented to protect the coho salmon milling within this area which serve as broodstock for the Whitman Lake hatchery operated by SSRAA on Upper Herring Cove Creek. Due to the low returns of coho salmon reported by Whitman Lake hatchery, a concern for harvest of these fish has been expressed by SSRAA in regard to their broodstock needs.