Division of Sport Fish
Tom Taube, Acting 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: March 08, 2023 - Expires: April 30, 2024)

CONTACT: Kelly Reppert
Ketchikan Area Management Biologist
(907) 225-2859

Sport Fishing Regulations for King Salmon in Southeast Alaska and the Ketchikan Area for 2023

(Ketchikan) - The Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced today the 2023 regionwide sport fishing regulations for king salmon in Southeast Alaska and the modifications for the Ketchikan Area. The following region wide regulations are effective 12:01 a.m. Friday, March 10, 2023 through 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, April 30, 2024:

Alaskan Resident

  • The resident bag and possession limit is two king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length;
  • From March 10 through March 31, 2023 and October 1, 2023 through March 31, 2024, a resident sport fish angler may use two rods when fishing for king salmon, a person using two rods under this regulation may only retain salmon.

Nonresident

  • The nonresident bag and possession limit is one king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length;
  • From January 1 through June 30, the nonresident annual harvest limit is three king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length;
  • From July 1 through July 15, the nonresident annual harvest limit is two king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length; any king salmon harvested from January 1 through June 30 will apply towards the two fish annual harvest limit;
  • From July 16 through December 31, the nonresident annual harvest limit is one king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length; any king salmon harvested from January 1 through July 15 will apply towards the one fish annual harvest limit;
  • Immediately upon landing and retaining a king salmon a nonresident must enter the species, date and location on their sport fishing license or on a nontransferable harvest record;

The Southeast regionwide bag and possession limits above will apply in all areas except as modified below for the inside waters in the vicinity of Ketchikan:

North and Northeast Behm Canal (see map)

Area Description: In Behm Canal and the contiguous bays enclosed to the north by a line from the western entrance of Bailey Bay to the northern tip of Hassler Island and a line from Fin Point to Dress Point to a line from Cactus Point to Point Eva.

  • Salmon fishing is closed year-round.

West Behm Canal, Southeast Behm Canal and Southern Revillagigedo Channel (see map)

Area Description: In West Behm Canal and the contiguous bays enclosed to the north by a line from the western entrance of Bailey Bay to the northern tip of Hassler Island and a line from Fin Point to Dress Point and to the south by a line from Indian Point to Mike Point. In the waters of southern Revillagigedo Channel enclosed from a line from Lucky Point to Middy Point and enclosed by a line from Kah Shakes Point to Point Rosen including the waters of Boca de Quadra and continuing to the Annette Island 3,000-foot boundary at the latitude of Beaver Point and in southeast Behm Canal from Cactus Point to Eva Point.

  • April 1 to August 14: King salmon retention is prohibited, king salmon may not be retained or possessed; any king salmon caught must be released immediately.

Remaining waters of District 1 (see map)

Area Description: In the marine waters of Ketchikan north and east from the International Boundary Line at Dixon Entrance from 54° 42.48’ N. lat., 130° 36.92’ W. long. to 54° 40’ N. lat., 131° 45’ W. long., continuing north to Caamano Point and enclosed to the north by a line from Indian Point to Mike Point and enclosed to the southeast by a line from Lucky Point to Middy Point, and enclosed by a line from Kah Shakes Point to Point Rosen and continuing to the Annette Island 3,000 foot boundary at the latitude of Beaver Point.

  • April 1 to June 14: King salmon retention is prohibited, king salmon may not be retained or possessed; any king salmon caught must be released immediately.
  • June 15 to August 14:
    • The Alaska resident bag and possession limit is one king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length.
    • The nonresident bag and possession limit is one king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length. The regional nonresident annual limit described above applies.
    • Immediately upon landing and retaining a king salmon a nonresident must enter the species, date and location on the back of their sport fishing license or on a nontransferable harvest record.

District 2 (see map)

  • April 1 to June 14: King salmon retention is prohibited, king salmon may not be retained or possessed; any king salmon caught must be released immediately.

The Pacific Salmon Commission has adopted a new method for setting the annual king salmon catch limit for Southeast Alaska. The catch limit is allocated among gear types in accordance with Board of Fisheries approved management plans. Under this new method, the king salmon catch limit will not be known until early April. Regional king salmon sport fishing regulations issued for the 2022 season continue to be in effect until the 2023 Southeast Alaska king salmon catch limit is established. Regional sport fishing regulations may be updated in April if a change is required.

Separate advisory announcements will be issued announcing king salmon regulations for locations where Alaska hatchery-produced king salmon are expected to return.

For further information concerning this announcement please contact Ketchikan Area Management Biologist, Kelly Reppert at (907) 225-2859 or visit our website.

Sport Fishing Regulations for King Salmon in Southeast Alaska and the Ketchikan Area for 2023

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