The Alaska Department of Fish and Game reports Upper Cook Inlet Commercial Fishing Announcement No. 21 opens commercial fishing with drift gillnets in the Expanded Kenai, Expanded Kasilof, and Anchor Point sections of the Central District from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, July 20, 2022. As a reminder 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.
Brian Marston, Area Management Biologist, writes that, as of July 18, 2022, Kenai River late-run large king salmon passage was estimated to be 3,419 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.
Marston adds that, as of July 18, Kasilof River sockeye salmon escapement is approximately 372,443 fish and 56% complete, projecting a final escapement of 668,000. 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 25% complete through July 18, projecting an in river run of 1.0 to 1.7 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.