(Released: May 06, 2020)

CONTACT: Mark Somerville
Area Management Biologist
(907) 822-3309


2020 Copper River Personal Use Dip Net Salmon Fishery Preseason Schedule

(Glennallen) - In accordance with the Copper River Personal Use Dip Net Salmon Fishery Management Plan (5 AAC 77.591) the preliminary 2020 schedule for the Chitina Subdistrict personal use dip net salmon fishery is listed in the table below. The schedule is based on projected daily sonar counts at the Miles Lake sonar and is designed to distribute the harvest throughout the run based on actual salmon abundance.

2020 Copper River Chitina Subdistrict Personal Use Salmon Fishery Preseason Schedule
Dates Fishing period
hours
Sunday, June 7, 12:01 AM through Sunday, June 7, 11:59 PM 24
Monday, June 8, 12:01 AM through Sunday, June 14, 11:59 PM 168
Monday, June 15, 12:01 AM through Sunday, June 21, 11:59 PM 168
Monday, June 22, 12:01 AM through Monday, June 22, 11:59 PM 24
Wednesday, June 24, 6:00 AM through Sunday, June 28, 11:59 PM 114
Monday, June 29, 12:01 AM through Monday, June 29, 11:59 PM 24
Tuesday, June 30, 6:00 PM through Sunday, July 5, 11:59 PM 126
Monday, July 6, 12:01 AM through Monday, July 6, 11:59 PM 24
Thursday, July 9, 6:00 AM through Sunday, July 12, 11:59 PM 90
Monday, July 13, 12:01 AM through Monday, July 13, 11:59 PM 24
Wednesday, July 15, 6:00 AM through Sunday, July 19, 11:59 PM 114
Thursday, July 23, 12:00 PM through Sunday, July 26, 11:59 PM 84
Monday, July 27, 12:01 AM through Monday, July 27, 11:59 PM 24
Thursday, July 30, 6:00 PM through Sunday, August 2, 11:59 PM 78
Thursday, August 6, 6:00 AM through Sunday, August 9, 11:59 PM 90
Monday, August 10, 12:01 AM through Monday, August 10, 11:59 PM 24
Thursday, August 13, 6:00 PM through Sunday, August 16, 11:59 PM 78
Monday, August 17, 12:00 AM through Monday, August 31, 11:59 PM Continuous

Based on actual sonar counts, preliminary fishing periods will be adjusted through emergency order each week as per the Copper River Personal Use Dip Net Salmon Fishery Management Plan. Travel time for salmon between the Miles Lake sonar and the Chitina Subdistrict is approximately two to three weeks; as a result, changes to the preliminary schedule will be announced approximately one week prior to the fishing period. After August 31, the fishery will remain open, by regulation, through September 30.

The 2020 Copper River forecast is 1.53 million wild and hatchery sockeye salmon and 60,000 king salmon http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static/applications/dcfnewsrelease/1133277601.pdf. The inriver goal, for the number of salmon passing the Miles Lake sonar, is 661,000–1.05 million salmon http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static/applications/dcfnewsrelease/1146516292.pdf . This goal ensures sufficient salmon for spawning escapement, subsistence, personal use and sport fishing needs, and hatchery brood stock.

All residents of Alaska qualify to participate in this personal use fishery. A Chitina Personal Use Salmon Fishery Permit and a resident Alaska sport fishing license are required. Both dip net permits and fishing licenses can be obtained online at https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/Store/. A $15 fee is charged for the Chitina Subdistrict personal use salmon fishery permit. Revenue from the fee supports the sanitation services at the fishery and trail maintenance from O’Brien Creek to Haley Creek.

Additionally, ADF&G is notifying fishery users that all 2020 Chitina Personal Use Salmon Fishery permit participation and harvest reporting must be completed online through the ADF&G website. Online reporting will be required regardless if you purchased the permit through the ADF&G online store or through a vendor. Returning permits by mail or hand-delivery will no longer be an acceptable means to report. Also, the penalty for failure to report Chitina Personal Use Salmon Fishery harvest online by the October 15 reporting deadline will be the loss of future personal use fishing privileges, and permit holders who fail to report will be denied a permit for the fishery the next calendar year.

The department urges dipnetters to respect the rights of private landowners in the area and familiarize themselves with the land ownership in the area before fishing. For information on access across private lands contact Chitina Native Corporation at (907) 823-2223 (https://chitinanative.com/obrien-creek-permit-program) or Ahtna, Inc at (907) 822-3476 (https://www.ahtna-inc.com/lands/).

Information regarding the fishery can be found at the ADF&G web site: http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=PersonalUsebyAreaInteriorChitina.main. This site provides information regarding the Upper Copper River fisheries including: fishery descriptions and summaries, maps of the subdistricts, a listing of vendors that carry the permits, and links to the sonar numbers and fishing schedule emergency orders.

The current fishing schedule will be announced on the Chitina Fishery information line at 822-5224 (Glennallen), 459-7382 (Fairbanks), and 267-2511 (Anchorage). Please contact an information phone line prior to planning your trip to Chitina to ensure that the fishery will be open when you arrive. If you have any questions regarding the Chitina Subdistrict personal use fishery, please contact the ADF&G office in Glennallen at (907) 822-3309.

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