(Released: June 19, 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: Brittany Blain-Roth, Assistant Area Management Biologist
(907) 267-2186

Rockfish Deepwater Release Mechanisms available in Valdez on Thursday, June 21, 2018

(Valdez) - The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) will be staffing a table at the Valdez Harbor near the fish cleaning station on Thursday, June 21, 2018, from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. ADF&G staff will be providing information related to deepwater release mechanisms and rockfish conservation. In addition, ADF&G staff will also be distributing deepwater release mechanisms and rockfish identification sheets to the public.

“Releasing rockfish using a deepwater release mechanism greatly increases the chances of survival,” stated Anchorage, North Gulf Coast, and Prince William Sound Assistant Area Management Biologist Brittany Blain-Roth. “Our desire is to talk to as many anglers as we can about deepwater release and rockfish conservation and to hand out deepwater release mechanisms to anglers who need one.”

In January of 2020, anglers will be required to carry a deepwater release mechanism aboard their vessel in Prince William Sound and will be required to use the device when releasing rockfish.

For additional information, on the rockfish conversation, please visit the ADF&G Rockfish Conservation and Deepwater Release webpage. Anglers may also contact the Anchorage Sport Fish Information Center at (907) 267-2218.

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