Yakutat – In order to protect sockeye salmon, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game has closed the Situk, Lost, and Ahrnklin river drainages to sport fishing for sockeye salmon, and increased the area closed to all sport fishing downstream of the fish counting weir on the lower Situk River to protect sockeye and king salmon holding below the weir. Catch-and-release fishing is prohibited for sockeye salmon in the Situk, Lost, and Ahrnklin river drainages or any fish species within the expanded closed area in the Situk River.

From July 12 to August 15, sockeye salmon may not be targeted, retained, or possessed in the Situk, Lost, or Ahrnklin Rivers; sockeye salmon caught incidentally while fishing for other species may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately.

Additionally, sport fishing is not allowed between regulatory markers located approximately 300 feet upstream of the Situk River weir (river mile 1.8) to markers located approximately 2,100 feet downstream of the weir. This portion of the river encompasses the entire “Rodeo Hole”.

Anglers are reminded that the entire Situk River drainage is closed to sport fishing for king salmon. King salmon may not be targeted and any incidentally caught king salmon may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately.

The Situk River drainage is managed for an escapement range of 450 to 1,050 large king salmon and 30,000 to 70,000 sockeye salmon. As of July 10, 2018, 77 large king salmon and 5,264 sockeye salmon have passed through the Situk River weir. Average run-timing data indicates that if these trends continue escapement will not be reached for either species. Large numbers of king salmon are also holding in several large pools below the Situk River weir. This emergency order protects sockeye and king salmon from incidental hooking and catch-and-release angling practices.

Anyone needing further information concerning this announcement please contact Matt Catterson, Yakutat Area Sport Fish Biologist at (907) 784-3222.

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