(Released: March 29, 2018 - Expired: August 14, 2018)

Division of Sport Fish
Tom Brookover, Director
Anchorage Headquarters Office
333 Raspberry Road
Anchorage, AK 99518


Alaska Department of Fish and Game
Sam Cotten, Commissioner
P.O. Box 115526
Juneau, AK 99811-5526
www.adfg.alaska.gov


Contact: Kelly Reppert, Area Management Biologist
(907) 225-2859

Sport Fishing For King Salmon Restricted In The Ketchikan Area

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced today king salmon sport fishing restrictions for the marine waters of the Ketchikan area. They are as follows:

North and Northeast Behm Canal

Salmon fishing is closed year-round 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 (see attached map).

West Behm Canal, Southeast Behm Canal and Southern Revillagigedo Channel

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 and returned to the water unharmed:

  • 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, continuing to the latitude of Beaver Point and from Point Rosen to Quadra Point and in southeast Behm Canal from Cactus Point to Eva Point (see attached map).

All remaining waters of District 1 and District 2

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 and returned to the water unharmed (see attached map).

A separate news release will be issued at a later date announcing king salmon regulations for locations where Alaska hatchery-produced king salmon are expected to return.

The 2018 preseason forecast for Unuk River king salmon is 860 fish. This forecast indicates the escapement goal (1,800 - 3,800) will not be met. At the Alaska Board of Fisheries January 2018 meeting in Sitka, the board adopted the Unuk River King Salmon Stock Status and Action Plan which specifies how the department will manage fisheries to reduce harvest of the Unuk River stock until this stock recovers. In addition to the Unuk River, forecasts for other Southeast Alaska wild king salmon stocks are below goal as the majority of the Southeast Alaska wild king salmon stocks continue to experience poor productivity. These actions are being taken as part of a regionwide effort to reduce harvest of Southeast Alaska wild king salmon and increase spawning escapement for future production. Management actions are being taken across all Southeast Alaska fisheries, including sport, commercial, personal use, and subsistence, to reduce harvest of wild king salmon. Anglers fishing north of the Ketchikan area should review the news releases announcing sport fishery restrictions for the Petersburg/Wrangell, Juneau, and Haines/Skagway area.

Regional king salmon resident and nonresident regulations scheduled to be released in April will not supersede these king salmon regulations.

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

SPORT FISHING FOR KING SALMON RESTRICTED IN THE KETCHIKAN AREA

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