The Alaska Department of Fish and Game reports Upper Cook Inlet Commercial Fishing Announcement No. 27 opens commercial fishing with drift gillnets in the Expanded Kenai, Expanded Kasilof, and Anchor Point sections of the Central District from 6:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 28, 2022, from 6:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. on Friday, July 29, 2022, from 6:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. on Saturday, July 30, 2022, and from 6:00 a.m. until 10:00 p.m. on Sunday, July 31, 2022.
Area Management Biologist Brian Marston says that no Upper Subdistrict set gillnet fishing periods will be opened unless the Kenai River late run king salmon abundance improves.
As of July 26, Kasilof River sockeye salmon escapement is approximately 765,054 fish and 75% complete, projecting a final escapement of 1.0 million fish. The biological escapement goal for Kasilof River sockeye salmon of 140,000 to 320,000 has been exceeded. In the Kenai River, sockeye salmon escapement is approximately 1,053,976 fish and 46% complete, projecting an in river run of 2.3 to 2.7 million sockeye salmon based on average to 3 day late run timings.
Marston adds that the UCI Commercial Fishing Announcement No. 23 reduced legal set gillnet gear in the Northern District of Upper Cook Inlet during the regulatory fishing period from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 28, 2022. In the General Subdistrict, of the Northern District, legal gear during these fishing periods will be reduced to no more than one net per permit, measuring no more than 35 fathoms in length. In the Eastern Subdistrict, of the Northern District, legal gear during these fishing periods will be reduced to no more than two set gillnets per permit, with each set gillnet measuring no more than 35 fathoms in length with the aggregate net length not to exceed 70 fathoms.
Fish harvested in these drift gillnet fishing periods should be reported in statistical areas 244-57.
