07-16-2013, 11:10 AM
Kenai River anglers are advised that, in a continued effort to conserve Kenai River early-run king salmon that may still be transiting the fishing area and to meet late-run king salmon minimum escapement numbers, the department is implementing the following sport fishing restrictions:
From 12:01 a.m., Monday, July 15, through 11:59 p.m., Wednesday, July 31, 2013:
"ยข The king salmon closure currently in effect in the Kenai River upstream from ADF&G regulatory markers located approximately 300 yards downstream from the mouth of Slikok Creek upstream to Skilak Lake, is extended through July 31. King salmon may not be targeted and any king salmon caught while fishing for other species may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately.
Anglers are reminded that bait/scent is prohibited on the entire Kenai River until August 1, 2013.
King salmon runs to Cook Inlet, including early-run Kenai River king salmon, and throughout Alaska, are experiencing a period of low productivity and low run strength. The final in-season estimate of king salmon passage into the Kenai River during the early-run was below the lower bound of the optimum escapement goal. Information available from an early-run king salmon project utilizing radio telemetry shows that early-run king salmon are present in some areas of the mainstem Kenai River upstream of the Slikok Creek king salmon sanctuary area and are transiting to spawning areas. As of July 12, inseason information, including data from inriver assessment programs as well as king salmon catch data in the Cook Inlet Central District Upper Subdistrict set gillnet fishery, indicates that the Kenai River late-run is also experiencing low run strength. For information about inseason assessment of Kenai River king salmon visit our website at:
http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/sf/FishCounts...=main.home.
From 12:01 a.m., Monday, July 15, through 11:59 p.m., Wednesday, July 31, 2013:
"ยข The king salmon closure currently in effect in the Kenai River upstream from ADF&G regulatory markers located approximately 300 yards downstream from the mouth of Slikok Creek upstream to Skilak Lake, is extended through July 31. King salmon may not be targeted and any king salmon caught while fishing for other species may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately.
Anglers are reminded that bait/scent is prohibited on the entire Kenai River until August 1, 2013.
King salmon runs to Cook Inlet, including early-run Kenai River king salmon, and throughout Alaska, are experiencing a period of low productivity and low run strength. The final in-season estimate of king salmon passage into the Kenai River during the early-run was below the lower bound of the optimum escapement goal. Information available from an early-run king salmon project utilizing radio telemetry shows that early-run king salmon are present in some areas of the mainstem Kenai River upstream of the Slikok Creek king salmon sanctuary area and are transiting to spawning areas. As of July 12, inseason information, including data from inriver assessment programs as well as king salmon catch data in the Cook Inlet Central District Upper Subdistrict set gillnet fishery, indicates that the Kenai River late-run is also experiencing low run strength. For information about inseason assessment of Kenai River king salmon visit our website at:
http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/sf/FishCounts...=main.home.