The Alaska Department of Fish and Game issued two commercial fishing announcements on Wednesday.
Upper Cook Inlet Commercial Fishing Announcement No. 22 opens commercial fishing with drift gillnets in the Expanded Kenai, Expanded Kasilof, and Anchor Point sections of the Central District until 10:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 21, 2022.
No Upper Subdistrict set gillnet fishing periods will be opened unless the Kenai River late run king salmon abundance improves. 5 AAC 21.359(d)(3) Kenai River Late-Run King Management Plan states that if the projected late-run large king salmon escapement is less than 15,000 fish, the department shall close the commercial set gillnet fishery in the Upper Subdistrict.
Additionally, Upper Cook Inlet Commercial Fishing Announcement No. 23 reduces legal set gillnet gear in the Northern District of Upper Cook Inlet during the regulatory fishing periods from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 21, 2022, from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Monday, July 26, 2022, and 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 set gillnet 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.
The Northern District Salmon Management Plan (5 AAC 21.358) provides the department with the option of reducing gear in the Northern District set gillnet fishery from July 20 through August 6 to conservatively manage commercial harvest of Susitna River sockeye salmon stocks. If the department determines that Susitna River sockeye salmon stocks are achieving adequate abundances, the gear restrictions may be relaxed by subsequent emergency order.
As of July 19, 2022, Kenai River late-run large king salmon passage was estimated to be 3,832 fish and projected a final escapement of less than 15,000 fish. Inseason projections show all indices of abundance remain well below their respective minimum inseason management objective. At this time, it does not appear that the late-run will attain adequate escapement without restrictions to all fisheries that harvest this stock.
As of July 19, Kasilof River sockeye salmon escapement is approximately 443,075 fish and 58% complete, projecting a final escapement of 761,000. The biological escapement goal for Kasilof River sockeye salmon of 140,000 to 320,000 has been exceeded. In the Kenai River, average sockeye salmon passage into the Kenai River is 27% complete through July 19, projecting an in river run of 1.2 to 1.8 million sockeye salmon based on average to 3 day late run timings.
Fish harvested in the drift gillnet fishery during this fishing period should be reported in statistical areas 244-57.
Further announcements concerning the amount of gear that may be used in the Northern District set gillnet fishery, after July 30, will occur later in July or early in August.