Subsistence rod-and-reel fishing for king salmon in the Kenai River will be closed effective Monday, June 15, through Wednesday, July 15. The closure is due to low numbers from the early salmon run, according to a release from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
This closure prohibits all subsistence rod and reel fishing for king salmon. King salmon incidentally caught while fishing for other species may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately unharmed.
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game estimates only 916 large king salmon have passed their sonar site on the Kenai River through June 11, with in-season escapement projections ranging from approximately 1,700 large fish with average run timing to 2,200 large fish on a three-day late-run timing. This is below the original expectations. The Kenai River and Kasilof River early-run King Salmon Management Plan originally identified an optimal escapement goal of 3,900 to 6,600 king salmon.
The State and Federal fishery management actions aim to provide the opportunity for early-run king salmon in the Kenai River to reach their spawning grounds.
