(Released: May 19, 2022 - Expired: July 31, 2022)

CONTACT: Mike Booz
Area Management Biologist
(907) 235-8191


Ninilchik River & Deep Creek Saltwater Conservation Zone Dates Correction

(Homer) - To help ensure healthy returns of king salmon to Cook Inlet rivers, the Alaska Board of Fisheries created Conservation Zones in the salt waters surrounding the Ninilchik River, Deep Creek, Anchor River, and Stariski Creek. Closing these waters to all sport fishing from April 1 through July 15, with an exception for the Ninilchik River and Deep Creek Conservation Zone that allows anglers to fish from shore on Memorial Day weekend and the following two weekends and Mondays. Please refer to page 75 of the 2022 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for maps and descriptions of these closed waters.

By regulation, the Conservation Zone around the mouth of Ninilchik River is open to fishing from shore for three three-day weekends. Anglers may fish from shore in those waters on Memorial Day weekend (including that Monday) and the two following weekends (including those Mondays). Unfortunately, the 2022 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet incorrectly identifies those dates for 2022. The correct dates are May 28-30, June 4-6, and June 11-13.

“I understand that the sport fishing regulations can be complicated when there are exceptions to regulations, and then we issue emergency orders to react to conditions inseason,” said Mike Booz, Area Manager for Lower Cook Inlet sport fisheries. “For this fishery, anglers just need to know the Conservation Zones are in place, the Ninilchik River and Deep Creek shore fishing exception will be open to sport fishing over the three, three-day weekends, but anglers may not fish for king salmon.”

Anglers are also reminded the ADF&G issued Emergency Order 2-KS-7-10-22 on January 26, 2022, reducing the annual limit of king salmon 20 inches or greater in length from five fish to two fish in the Cook Inlet salt waters north of the latitude of Bluff Point (59° 40.00' N. lat.) and closed king salmon fishing within one mile of shore in Cook Inlet salt waters north of the latitude of Bluff Point. These regulatory changes are effective from 12:01 a.m. Sunday, May 1 through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, July 31, 2022.

For additional information, please contact Area Management Biologist Mike Booz at (907) 235-1739.

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