(Kodiak) - In favor of protecting returning king salmon and ensuring fishing opportunities in the future, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) is implementing the following sport fishing regulation closure for king salmon in the Karluk River drainage including the lagoon and its outlet stream effective 12:01 a.m. Saturday, June 1 through 11:59 p.m. Thursday, July 25, 2019. This closure prohibits sport fishing for king salmon including catch-and-release. During the closure, king salmon may not be targeted, possessed, or retained; king salmon that are caught incidentally while fishing for other species may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately. In addition, as an added measure to reduce incidentally hooked king salmon, the use of bait is prohibited and only one unbaited, single-hook artificial lure may be used in the Karluk River drainage below Karluk Lake including the lagoon and its outlet stream.

“Although escapements have occasionally improved slightly since record lows in 2008, the recent trend of poor runs and very low king salmon returns warrant closing the Karluk River sport fishery,” stated Area Management Biologist Tyler Polum. “Since 2006, the Karluk River king salmon escapement goal has only been achieved four times, even with management actions to reduce king salmon retention in sport, commercial, and subsistence fisheries. In January 2011, the Board of Fisheries designated Karluk River king salmon a stock of concern.”

King salmon angling opportunities may be restored in the Karluk River by a subsequent emergency order, if inseason assessment indicates the king salmon run is stronger than anticipated. Beginning late May, ADF&G staff will closely monitor this fishery at the Karluk River salmon counting weir.

For additional information, please contact the Division of Sport Fish Kodiak Office at (907) 486-1880.

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