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: Jeffrey Rice
Petersburg/Wrangell Area Management Biologist
(907) 772-5227

Sport Fishing Regulations for King Salmon in Southeast Alaska and the Petersburg/Wrangell Area for 2023

(Petersburg) - 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 Petersburg/Wrangell Area. The following regionwide 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 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 Petersburg/Wrangell:

In the majority of marine waters within the management area:

(District 6, District 10 and portions of District 5, District 7, and District 9; see attached map)

  • April 1 to June 14, 2023: The retention of king salmon is prohibited, any king salmon caught must be released immediately.

In the waters adjacent to the Stikine River:

(District 8 and a portion of Eastern Passage near Wrangell; see attached map)

  • April 1 to July 14, 2023: The retention of king salmon is prohibited, 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.

A separate advisory announcement will be issued announcing king salmon regulations for locations where Alaska hatchery-produced king salmon are expected to return. Fishing opportunity in the Anita Bay, Gunnuk Creek and Blind Slough terminal harvest areas will open on June 1, 2023 and the City Creek release site will open June 15, 2023.

Anglers fishing north of the Petersburg/Wrangell area should review the advisory announcement for regulations in the Juneau and Haines/Skagway areas. Anglers fishing south of the Petersburg/Wrangell area should review the advisory announcement for regulations in the Ketchikan area.

For further information concerning this announcement please contact Petersburg/Wrangell Area Management Biologist, Jeffrey Rice at (907) 772-5227 or visit our website.

Sport Fishing Regulations for King Salmon in Southeast Alaska and the Petersburg/Wrangell Area for 2023

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