Kenai Chinook Estimates, Indices and Inseason Run Summaries
See also the prior Final Early Run Chinook Inseason Summary
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Location: Kenai River (Chinook) |
The selected years are color-coded in the graphs below:
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Daily Counts
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Cumulative
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Description: In 2015 the department began managing Kenai River king salmon runs using an ARIS sonar station located at river mile 14. In 2017 the Department modified the Kenai River king salmon escapement goals from goals based on king salmon of all sizes, to escapement goals based on large king salmon (fish over 34 inches) only. The early-run king salmon optimal escapement goal range is 3,900 to 6,600 large king salmon (> 34 inches). In 2020 the late-run king salmon escapement goal was modified to an optimal escapement goal range is 15,000 to 30,000 large king salmon (> 34 inches). The ARIS sonar counts found on this page are the daily and seasonal cumulative passage estimates of the number of large king salmon passing the sonar site. Additionally, the past years counts displayed on this page have been converted to large fish counts for comparison. These estimated numbers of large king salmon passing the sonar site are the primary tool for the Kenai River king salmon assessment program that also includes a sport angler harvest survey, and a netting program. The data gathered in these assessments are used together to determine king salmon run strength. This data in conjunction with Fishery Management Plans, allows fishery managers to determine if emergency order regulation changes to the fisheries are needed during the season to help ensure that the escapement goals are achieved. These abundance assessments as well as information about the status of the run and inseason management actions can be viewed via this website on the above tabs. Information is also available by telephone at (907)262-9097.
Optimal Escapement Goal for Chinook - Early Run:
3,900 - 6,600
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Contact:
Area Management Biologist, | |
58 records returned for the years selected. Dashes indicate days with no count.
[Export results in Excel format or JSON format]
| Date 2025 |
Count 2025 |
Cumulative 2025 |
Cumulative 2024 |
Cumulative 2023 |
Cumulative 2022 |
Cumulative 2021 |
Notes for 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug-27 | - | 0 | 6,630 | 13,922 | 13,425 | 11,832 | |
| Aug-26 | - | 0 | 6,630 | 13,776 | 13,425 | 11,832 | |
| Aug-25 | - | 0 | 6,630 | 13,679 | 13,425 | 11,832 | |
| Aug-24 | - | 0 | 6,630 | 13,612 | 13,425 | 11,832 | |
| Aug-23 | - | 0 | 6,630 | - | 13,425 | 11,832 | |
| Aug-22 | - | 0 | 6,630 | - | 13,425 | 11,832 | |
| Aug-21 | - | 0 | 6,630 | 13,436 | 13,425 | 11,832 | |
| Aug-20 | - | 0 | 6,630 | 13,257 | 13,425 | 11,832 | |
| Aug-19 | - | 0 | 6,630 | 13,111 | 13,425 | 11,754 | |
| Aug-18 | - | 0 | 6,582 | 12,911 | 13,338 | 11,656 | |
| Aug-17 | - | 0 | 6,534 | 12,747 | 13,253 | 11,486 | |
| Aug-16 | - | 0 | 6,510 | 12,552 | 13,124 | 11,419 | |
| Aug-15 | - | 0 | 6,408 | 12,381 | 12,961 | 11,279 | |
| Aug-14 | - | 0 | 6,306 | 12,161 | 12,779 | 11,151 | |
| Aug-13 | - | 0 | 6,240 | 12,045 | 12,567 | 10,884 | |
| Aug-12 | - | 0 | 6,143 | 11,814 | 12,257 | 10,684 | |
| Aug-11 | - | 0 | 6,070 | 11,559 | 11,887 | 10,491 | |
| Aug-10 | - | 0 | 6,008 | 11,347 | 11,626 | 10,303 | |
| Aug-09 | - | 0 | 5,917 | 11,111 | 11,407 | 9,757 | |
| Aug-08 | - | 0 | 5,790 | 10,844 | 11,270 | 9,248 | |
| Aug-07 | - | 0 | 5,687 | 10,424 | 11,124 | 8,872 | |
| Aug-06 | - | 0 | 5,349 | 9,677 | 10,875 | 8,419 | |
| Aug-05 | - | 0 | 4,932 | 9,313 | 10,487 | 8,064 | |
| Aug-04 | - | 0 | 4,817 | 9,058 | 10,024 | 7,747 | |
| Aug-03 | - | 0 | 4,624 | 8,889 | 9,711 | 7,504 | |
| Aug-02 | - | 0 | 4,298 | 8,555 | 9,377 | 6,729 | |
| Aug-01 | - | 0 | 4,056 | 7,960 | 9,001 | 6,420 | |
| Jul-31 | - | 0 | 3,875 | 7,582 | 8,686 | 6,189 | |
| Jul-30 | - | 0 | 3,682 | 7,260 | 8,189 | 5,818 | |
| Jul-29 | - | 0 | 3,519 | 6,980 | 7,825 | 5,636 | |
| Jul-28 | - | 0 | 3,308 | 6,725 | 7,394 | 5,296 | |
| Jul-27 | - | 0 | 3,133 | 6,481 | 7,077 | 5,077 | |
| Jul-26 | - | 0 | 2,952 | 6,250 | 6,531 | 4,864 | |
| Jul-25 | - | 0 | 2,777 | 5,880 | 6,136 | 4,610 | |
| Jul-24 | - | 0 | 2,626 | 5,467 | 5,675 | 4,452 | |
| Jul-23 | - | 0 | 2,503 | 5,036 | 5,329 | 4,270 | |
| Jul-22 | - | 0 | 2,286 | 4,600 | 4,927 | 4,142 | |
| Jul-21 | - | 0 | 2,244 | 4,309 | 4,539 | 3,953 | |
| Jul-20 | - | 0 | 2,123 | 4,114 | 4,142 | 3,717 | |
| Jul-19 | - | 0 | 2,002 | 3,811 | 3,832 | 3,207 | |
| Jul-18 | - | 0 | 1,827 | 3,708 | 3,419 | 2,872 | |
| Jul-17 | - | 0 | 1,658 | 3,544 | 2,982 | 2,581 | |
| Jul-16 | - | 0 | 1,489 | 3,016 | 2,655 | 2,363 | |
| Jul-15 | - | 0 | 1,317 | 2,469 | 2,352 | 2,113 | |
| Jul-14 | - | 0 | 1,097 | 2,244 | 2,147 | 1,871 | |
| Jul-13 | - | 0 | 848 | 1,886 | 1,890 | 1,714 | |
| Jul-12 | - | 0 | 745 | 1,654 | 1,751 | 1,538 | |
| Jul-11 | - | 0 | 681 | 1,369 | 1,597 | 1,423 | |
| Jul-10 | - | 0 | 520 | 1,163 | 1,475 | 1,303 | |
| Jul-09 | - | 0 | 423 | 1,018 | 1,162 | 1,121 | |
| Jul-08 | - | 0 | 320 | 733 | 950 | 994 | |
| Jul-07 | - | 0 | 277 | 575 | 731 | 812 | |
| Jul-06 | - | 0 | 247 | 484 | 537 | 709 | |
| Jul-05 | - | 0 | 175 | 393 | 404 | 606 | |
| Jul-04 | - | 0 | 96 | 314 | 307 | 515 | |
| Jul-03 | - | 0 | 48 | 211 | 222 | 369 | |
| Jul-02 | - | 0 | 36 | 120 | 172 | 253 | |
| Jul-01 | - | 0 | 24 | 60 | 123 | 140 |
Non-Sonar Tools
Late Run Netting Project CPUE Index
The Net Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) is an index of the numbers of Chinook salmon moving into the Kenai River and is based on the rate at which Chinook salmon are captured by the netting project conducted at river mile 8.6.
Late Run Sport CPUE Index
The Sport Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) is an index of the numbers of Chinook salmon in the lower Kenai River and is based on the success rate of anglers fishing downstream of the Sterling Highway Bridge Crossing in Soldotna.
Late Run Netting Project Large Fish CPUE Index
The Net Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) is an index of the numbers of Chinook salmon moving into the Kenai River and is based on the rate at which Chinook salmon are captured by the netting project conducted at the sonar station located at river mile 8.6.
Late Run Netting Project CPUE Index
The Net Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) is an index of the numbers of Chinook salmon moving into the Kenai River and is based on the rate at which Chinook salmon are captured by the netting project conducted at river mile 8.6.
Late Run Sport CPUE Index
The Sport Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) is an index of the numbers of Chinook salmon in the lower Kenai River and is based on the success rate of anglers fishing downstream of the Sterling Highway Bridge Crossing in Soldotna.
Late Run Netting Project Large Fish CPUE Index
The Net Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) is an index of the numbers of Chinook salmon moving into the Kenai River and is based on the rate at which Chinook salmon are captured by the netting project conducted at the sonar station located at river mile 8.6.
Weekly Sportfish Fishing Report for this area
Late Run Kenai River Chinook Inseason Summary for Thu. Aug 19
KENAI RIVER LATE-RUN KING SALMON SUMMARY #08
King Salmon Run Update:
The daily passage on August 18 was 170 large king salmon which brings the cumulative estimate to 11,656. The optimal escapement goal is 15,000 – 30,000 large king salmon. Inseason assessment of the king salmon run consists of the sonar at RM 14 on the Kenai River mainstem, a sport angler creel survey of the lower river through July 31, inriver test netting for age, sex, length composition through August 20, and sampling of king salmon harvest in the east side set net commercial fishery throughout the commercial fishing season. These information sources, along with historical data allow ADF&G managers to formulate inseason run projections of estimated escapement, harvest, and total run of large Kenai River king salmon. Figure 1 is a table of the 2021 projections using the most current data. The inseason projection of escapement using the historical mean run timing is approximately 12,217 large fish.
In response to the inseason projections of escapement being less than 15,000 large king salmon at the close of the king salmon sport fishing season, ADF&G issued an emergency order prohibiting the use of bait and multiple hooks in the Kenai River from the outlet of Skilak Lake downstream to the mouth effective 12:01 a.m. August 1 through 11:59 p.m. August 15, 2021. Additionally, the commercial drift gillnet fishery is restricted from fishing in the Central District within one mile of the Kenai Peninsula shoreline north of the Kenai River and within one and one-half miles of the Kenai Peninsula shoreline south of the Kenai River; and the commercial set gillnet fishery in the Upper Subdistrict and the Central District is closed until the Kenai Late-run king salmon escapement goal is achieved.
Fishery Update:
Data collected from the netting program indicates a king salmon CPUE of all sizes that is below average and large king salmon CPUE that is above average for this point in the return.
The preseason outlook for the 2021 late-run can be found at:
http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static/fishing/pdfs/sport/byarea/southcentral/2021KenaiLateRunOutlook.pdf
Water Conditions:
Water levels throughout the Kenai drainage are below average. Water temperature is above average.
CFS at Soldotna Bridge was 11,700 and 8.87 ft
CFS at Skilak Lake Outlet was 10,200 and 10.36 ft
CFS at Cooper Landing was 4,420 and 9.52 ft
Water Temperature was 54.5 degrees Fahrenheit at the sonar site.
This information was compiled based on raw and historical data for inseason management purposes.
Final data is subject to change.
Figure 1. 2021 Inseason Summary Estimates for Kenai River Late-run Large Chinook Salmon
| Sonar data thru: | 18-Aug | ESSN Summary | ||||||||
| Current Inriver Chinook Assessment Information | ESSN Total Chinook Salmon harvest | 1,247 | (Fish Ticket Catch Report) | |||||||
| Most Recent Daily Sonar | 170 | ESSN Large Chinook Harvests (all stocks) Based on Inseason Length Data | 274 | |||||||
| Cumulative Sonar to Date | 11,656 | Percentage Large Chinook in ESSN Sample Thru | 18-Aug | 22% | ||||||
| Est. Creel Harvest to Date | 134 | Min, mean, and max of Large ESSN Chinook that were of Kenai origin (2010-2018 data) | ||||||||
| Creel Harvest Above Sonar | 70 | Kenai Large Contribution | 60% | 69% | 79% | |||||
| Creel Harvest Below Sonar | 64 | ESSN Large Kenai Harvest to Date | 165 | 189 | 217 | |||||
| Creel All Sizes of Chinook | 342 | ESSN Projected Kenai Large Harvest | 165 | 189 | 217 | |||||
| Projected end of season estimates for large late-run Kenai River Chinook salmon. | ||||||||||
| Run Timing | Run to Date | Estimated run to Sonar RM14 | Estimated inriver run (includes spawning & harvet below sonar) | Estimated Escapement (includes spawners below sonar) | Estimated Sport Harvest Above Sonar RM 14 to Skilak Lake | Estimated Sport Harvest Below Sonar RM 14 | Estimated Total Inriver Sport Harvest | Estimated ESSN Harvest | Estimated Total Run | Estimated Exploitation |
| On time | 98.19% | 11,871 | 12,439 | 12,217 | 143 | 79 | 222 | 189 | 12,555 | 3.27% |
| Early Timing Scenarios | ||||||||||
| 1 early | 99.17% | 11,754 | 12,317 | 12,095 | 143 | 79 | 222 | 189 | 12,438 | 3.30% |
| 2 early | 100.00% | 11,656 | 12,215 | 11,993 | 143 | 79 | 222 | 189 | 12,340 | 3.33% |
| Late Timing Scenarios | ||||||||||
| 1 late | 97.52% | 11,952 | 12,523 | 12,301 | 143 | 79 | 222 | 189 | 12,636 | 3.25% |
| 2 late | 96.38% | 12,093 | 12,671 | 12,448 | 143 | 79 | 222 | 189 | 12,777 | 3.22% |
| * Retention of king salmon is prohibited in personal use fisheries for 2021 | ||||||||||