The Alaska Department of Fish and Game will implement a bag limit reduction for Coho Salmon on the Kenai Peninsula this weekend.
As of 11:59 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 24, until 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 21, Coho salmon bag and possession limits for salmon 16” or greater in length fishing for the flowing fresh waters of the Kenai Peninsula (excluding the Kenai River) will be reduced from two to one fish. The use of bait will be prohibited, and gear will be restricted to single-hook, artificial lures.
This regulation change does not affect any Kenai Peninsula lakes. The bag limit reduction includes the Kasilof River, but the use of bait is not restricted below the Sterling Highway bridge, ADF&G said in a press release.
The changes are based on the performance indicators of both freshwater and saltwater sport fisheries throughout Southcentral Alaska. “This year’s coho salmon run is well below average, and restrictions or closures have already been issued for the Northern Cook Inlet area, Anchorage Bowl Area, and Valdez,” the release states.
“Unfortunately, coho salmon seem to be experiencing a downward trend in productivity similar to king salmon,” stated area manager Mike Booz. “Given this trend and uncertainty in coho salmon escapement for most of the Kenai Peninsula, restricting the harvest for the remainder of the season will reduce any potential negative impacts to these stocks.”
Coho salmon stock assessment on the Kenai Peninsula is limited to a radio telemetry project on the Kenai River and a few escapement monitoring projects. Currently, there are no escapement goals for any coho salmon stocks on the Kenai Peninsula. On the Anchor River, coho salmon escapement has been fully enumerated intermittently since the late 1980s and consistently in recent years since 2019.
Through August 20, the 2024 Anchor River coho salmon cumulative count is 580, which is approximately 61% below the historical average count and 26% below the recent 5-year average count for this date. Given the lack of additional information, a precautionary approach is warranted for the remainder of the coho salmon run.
In conjunction with this emergency order, the department has also reduced the coho salmon bag limit in the Kenai River, the Kasilof River, Cook Inlet and Resurrection Bay salt waters, the Resurrection Bay Terminal Harvest Area, and Prince William Sound salt waters.