The Alaska Department of Fish and Game reports Upper Cook Inlet Commercial Fishing Announcement No. 34 opens commercial fishing with drift gillnets in Drift Gillnet Area 1, the Expanded Kenai, Expanded Kasilof, and Anchor Point sections of the Central District from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 11, 2022.
Area Management Biologist Brian Marston reminds that UCI Commercial Fishing Announcement No. 32 opened set and drift gillnetting in the Chinitna Bay Subdistrict of the Central District on Tuesdays and Fridays from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m., which began this past Tuesday.
Additionally, no Upper Subdistrict set gillnet fishing periods will be opened unless the Kenai River late run king salmon abundance improves. All other set gillnet fisheries in UCI, outside of the Upper Subdistrict, will fish the regulatory scheduled period from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 11, 2022.
As of August 9, Kasilof River sockeye salmon escapement is approximately 932,266 fish and 96% complete, projecting a final escapement of 973,000 fish. The biological escapement goal for Kasilof River sockeye salmon of 140,000 to 320,000 has been exceeded. In the Kenai River, sockeye salmon escapement is approximately 1,445,798 fish and 81% complete, projecting an in river run of 1.8 to 2.0 million sockeye salmon based on average to 3 day late run timings.
Fish harvested in this drift gillnet fishing period should be reported in statistical area 244-60. During the Tuesday and Friday Chinitna Bay openers, drifters are reminded that all fish harvested in Chinitna Bay, will need to be on a separate fish ticket and should be reported in statistical area 245-10.