The Central District Herring Management Plan (5 AAC 27.409) states that a commercial herring fishery may occur by emergency order in the Central District of Upper Cook Inlet, but only in the waters of the Kalgin Island, Upper, Western, and Chinitna Bay subdistricts, as described in 5 AAC 21.200(b)(2), (b)(3), (b)(5), and (b)(6).
In 2023, commercial herring fishing season will open at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, April 20, and close at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, May 31, unless closed earlier by emergency order in any area where the guideline harvest range is projected to be met. The management plan allows for one fishing period per week that runs from 6:00 a.m. on Mondays until 6:00 p.m. on Fridays. In the Upper Subdistrict, the guideline harvest range is 0–40 tons and fishing for herring is not allowed any closer than 600 feet of the mean high tide mark on the Kenai Peninsula. In the Chinitna Bay Subdistrict, the department is to manage for a guideline harvest range of 0–40 tons; in the Western Subdistrict, the guideline harvest range is 0–50 tons, and in the Kalgin Island Subdistrict, the guideline harvest range is 0–20 tons.
In the Central District, herring may be taken by gillnet, as defined in 5 AAC 27.431(a), except that in the Chinitna Bay and Kalgin Island subdistricts, herring may only be taken by set gillnets (5
AAC 27.430 (b)). Legal set gillnet mesh size can be no smaller than 2.0 inches or no greater than 2.5 inches, as described in 5 AAC 27.431(a).
Prior to fishing, all participants are required to register at the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) Soldotna office. Fishermen are also required to report fishing time and the amount of herring landed, whether to be sold or retained for personal use, to the Soldotna office by 12:00 noon of the next day for each day fished. Fishermen are also reminded that fish tickets are to be filled out and either mailed or dropped off at the Soldotna ADF&G office within seven days of the time of landing (5 AAC 39.130 (c)).
If you intend to sell your catch to members of the public, you must first obtain a catcher-seller permit from ADF&G: http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=fishlicense.sellers.
