The Alaska Board of Fisheries, at the January 15-19 Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim meeting in Anchorage, deliberated on 16 and adopted 11 proposals that will change sport fishing regulations in the Tanana River drainage for the upcoming fishing season. These new regulations will be in the following water bodies:

• Chena River: a youth-only sport fishery now allows kids under the age of 16 to harvest Arctic grayling with a bag and possession limit of one fish of any size. The youth-only area of the Chena River extends downstream from a regulatory marker 300 feet downstream of the Chena flood control project to the confluence with the Tanana River. The youth-only fishery will occur weekends only over four consecutive weekends beginning with the third Saturday in June.
• Koole and Dune lakes: the bag and possession limit for all stocked species combined is now 10 fish, of which only one may be greater than 18 inches. Previously, the bag and possession limit was five fish, of which only one could be 18 inches or longer.
• Delta Clearwater River: the bag and possession limit of one Arctic grayling, 12 inches or smaller is now open year-round. Previously, the open period for harvesting Arctic grayling less than 12 inches was from June 1 to December 31.
• Chisana River drainage: the bag and possession limit for northern pike in all flowing waters and lakes is five fish, of which only one may be 30 inches or greater. This was increased from a bag and possession limit of two fish.
• George and Volkmar lakes: the open season for northern pike is now year-round. Previously, the season was open from June 1 to April 20.
• Little Harding Lake: is now open to sport fishing for northern pike year-round with a bag and possession limit of five fish, of which only one may be longer than 30 inches. Previously, Little Harding Lake was closed to fishing for northern pike.
• Toklat River drainage: is now open to sport fishing for all salmon and nonsalmon fish species year-round, except for within a three-mile section of the mainstem Toklat River that will be closed to all fishing from August 15 to May 15. The three-mile section extends from approximately one mile upstream to approximately two miles downstream of the Kobi-McGrath trail crossing. Precise waypoints of the boundaries will be provided in the new regulation summary booklet. Previously, the entire Toklat River was closed to all sport fishing from August 15 to May 15.

These regulations will take effect with the release of the 2019 Northern Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary. To find a preliminary summary of all actions taken at the Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim meeting please check the Alaska Board of Fisheries website at: http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=fisheriesboard.meetinginfo.

Any questions regarding these changes to the sport fishing regulations in the Tanana River drainage can be directed to either Heather Scannell (907) 459-7357 or Klaus Wuttig (907) 459-7344 at the Fairbanks Fish and Game office.

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