Division of Sport Fish
Dave Rutz, Director

Anchorage Headquarters Office
333 Raspberry Road
Anchorage, AK 99518


Alaska Department of Fish and Game
Doug Vincent-Lang, Commissioner

P.O. Box 115526
Juneau, AK 99811-5526
www.adfg.alaska.gov


Advisory Announcement
(Released: July 02, 2021 - Expired: July 13, 2021)

CONTACT: Sam Ivey
Area Management Biologist
(907) 746-6300

Little Susitna River Open to Limited King Salmon Harvest

(Palmer) - The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) is reopening the Little Susitna River to a limited harvest opportunity for the remainder of the king salmon season. Effective 6:00 a.m. Saturday, July 3 through 11:00 p.m. Tuesday, July 13, 2021, anglers may keep one king salmon per day, 20 inches or greater in length, in the Little Susitna River. The area open to king salmon harvest is limited to downstream of the weir only. The annual limit is restricted to two king salmon, 20 inches or greater in length. Artificial lures with multiple hooks may be used downstream of the weir per regulation. Bait is not allowed. Waters upstream of the weir to the Parks Highway, remain catch-and-release only for king salmon with only one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure allowed.

The sustainable escapement goal for king salmon on the Little Susitna River is 2,100-4,300 fish. As of the morning of July 2, 2021, a total of 2,065 king salmon have been counted at the Little Susitna weir with a projected escapement of 2,584 fish. At this time, it is warranted to allow the sport fishery to proceed by regulation downstream of the weir and for the fishery upstream of the weir to remain catch-and-release only. The estimated harvest of 100 fish due to this action will not lower the final escapement below the lower end of the escapement goal if harvest is only allowed downstream of the weir.

"King salmon are now migrating past the weir out of the lower river and the escapement goal will be met in a fishery that was catch-and-release only from the outset of the season," stated Area Management Biologist Sam Ivey. "We can now afford to harvest some of these king salmon with a conservative approach as the season winds down."

For additional information, please contact Area Management Biologist Sam Ivey at (907) 746-6300 or Cook Inlet Management Coordinator Matt Miller at (907) 267-2415.

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