(Haines) - 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 Haines/Skagway 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 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 the back of 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 Haines and Skagway:

All anglers

• From April 1 through July 15: The waters of Chilkat Inlet, north of the ADF&G regulatory marker immediately north of Seduction Point (see attached map) will be closed to king salmon sport fishing.
• From April 1 through December 31: In Section 15-A, the waters of Lynn Canal north of the latitude of Sherman Rock, including Chilkat Inlet, (see attached map), 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.

Anglers fishing south of the Haines/Skagway area should review the news releases announcing sport fishery regulations specific to the Juneau, Petersburg/Wrangell and Ketchikan areas.

For further information concerning this announcement please contact Juneau Area Management Biologist, Daniel Teske at (907) 465-8152 or visit our website.

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