Upper Cook Inlet Commercial Fishing Announcement No. 1 restricts the hours that the 2022 Northern District directed Chinook salmon commercial set gillnet fishery is open from 12 hours to 6 hours. The fishery will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on the following Mondays, May 30, and June 6, 13, and 20 in 2022, according to a press release from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
Upper Cook Inlet Commercial Fishing Announcement No. 1 also closes commercial set gillnet salmon fishing in those waters of the Northern District of Upper Cook Inlet from the wood chip dock, located approximately at 61o 02.77’ N. lat., 151o 10.04’ W. long., to the Susitna River (Figure 1) during the directed Chinook salmon fishing season.
Unless changed by subsequent emergency order, all waters of the Northern District, including the closed waters identified in this announcement, will be open for the regular salmon fishing season from 7:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. on Mondays and Thursdays, beginning on Monday, June 27, 2022.
The 2022 preseason run forecast for Deshka River Chinook salmon is approximately 11,435 fish, which suggests all harvests must be limited to achieve the sustainable escapement goal (SEG) of 9,000–18,000 fish. Based on this forecast, and recent low Chinook salmon production throughout the Susitna River Drainage, two Emergency Orders were issued implementing restrictions to catch and release angling, with single unbaited hooks. EO # 2-KS-2-05-22 restricts angling in areas 1,2,3,4,5, and 6 of the Susitna River drainages, and EO # 2-KS-2-06-22 restricts angling in the Little Susitna River. The Chuitna River is also closed to sport fishing for Chinook salmon by regulation.
The Northern District King Salmon Management Plan states that when the Deshka River Chinook salmon sport fishery is restricted to non-retention, the commercial Chinook salmon set gillnet fishery shall be restricted to 6-hour fishing periods that occur from 7:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. Mondays. This management plan also stipulates that if the Chuitna River is closed to sport fishing for Chinook salmon, the area from the wood chip dock to the Susitna River shall be closed during the commercial set gillnet Chinook salmon season. The above announcements follow these regulations.
Escapement of Chinook salmon in the Deshka River will be closely monitored during the 2022 season. If runs are stronger than expected and retention of Chinook salmon is allowed in the Deshka River sport fishery, reestablishing 9 or 12 hour openings in the directed Chinook salmon commercial fishery will occur.