(Petersburg) - The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is announcing a change to the Southeast Alaska marine sport fishery regulations for king salmon. The following regulations will be effective 12:01 a.m. Monday, July 7 through 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, September 30, 2025.

• Nonresident anglers may not retain king salmon, king salmon may not be retained or possessed; any king salmon caught must be released immediately and returned to the water unharmed;
• All anglers may not retain king salmon within the exclusive economic zone (3-200 nautical miles from shore).

No change has been made to regulations for Alaska residents fishing within state waters. The regulations for Alaska residents continue to be:

• Bag and possession limit of one king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length;
• From October 1 through March 31, a resident angler may use two rods when fishing for king salmon, a person using two rods under this regulation may only retain salmon.

If no restrictive action is taken the Southeast Alaska sport fishery is expected to exceed the 2025 sport allocation of 28,264 king salmon. In accordance with the provisions of the Southeast Alaska King Salmon Management Plan, when inseason action is required to keep the sport fishery within allocation, the nonresident fishery is restricted to protect continued harvest opportunity for Alaska residents. The sport harvest of king salmon will continue to be monitored and the nonresident fishery may reopen later in the season if allocation is available.

When fishing in the exclusive economic zone (between 3-200 nautical miles from shore), all anglers must comply with the regulations established for nonresident anglers, including this prohibition on retention of king salmon.

In areas where special regulations have been issued to provide opportunity for Alaska hatchery-produced king salmon (Juneau designated saltwater hatchery area, Blind Slough/Wrangell Narrows terminal harvest area near Petersburg, City Creek release site near Petersburg and Herring Bay near Ketchikan) special regulations continue to apply, including harvest opportunity for nonresidents.

For further information concerning this announcement please contact Southeast Alaska Management Coordinator, Patrick Fowler at (907) 772-5231.

#25-3896