Region 2-Southcentral News Release
(Released: June 24, 2005)
June 24, 2005
(Juneau) – The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) today announced additional personal use, sport, and commercial fishing opportunities in the Kasilof River, which is experiencing an unprecedented strong and early return of sockeye salmon. The announcement comes at a time when the king salmon bycatch in the commercial fishery is low compared to the sockeye harvest.
“The magnitude and strength of the sockeye return in the Kasilof River at the moment is impressive and unexpected, with much of the sockeye run still to come.” said Commissioner Campbell. “Given these factors, I have authorized an increased sockeye harvest.”
Escapement to date of over 84,000 sockeye in the Kasilof River is an all-time record. Over 100,000 sockeye have already been harvested in the commercial set gillnet fisheries, as well as an estimated 25,000 in the personal use gillnet fishery. Given average run timing, this will put the final season total return well over forecast.
The Optimal Escapement Goal (OEG) set by the Board of Fisheries for Kasilof River sockeye salmon is between 150,000 and 300,000 fish. Because of the strong run, the current management regime, as described in the Kasilof Management Plan, will not allow the department to exploit sockeye salmon at a high enough rate to keep the escapement within the Kasilof River OEG. In order to stay within desired levels of escapement, exploitation rates of Kasilof River sockeye salmon need to increase.
In order to achieve increased sockeye harvest, ADF&G managers are authorized to take the following actions:
1. Extend the personal use gillnet fishery for an additional day on June 25;
2. Increase the open fishing area for the Kasilof personal use dipnet fishery on June 25;
3. Increase the Kasilof River sport fishing bag limit for salmon, other than king salmon, from 3 per day and 3 in possession to 6 fish per day and 12 in possession on June 25; and
4. Reduce the mandatory 48-hour closure and allow up to 12 additional hours of fishing for commercial set gillnetting in the Kasilof section.
These actions are discretionary and local area managers will use the added flexibility, as needed, to harvest fish in an orderly manner and control escapements. Specific details of actions taken will be distributed out of ADF&G’s Soldotna area office.
