Division of Sport Fish
Dave Rutz, Director

Anchorage Headquarters Office
333 Raspberry Road
Anchorage, AK 99518


Alaska Department of Fish and Game
Doug Vincent-Lang, Commissioner

P.O. Box 115526
Juneau, AK 99811-5526
www.adfg.alaska.gov


Advisory Announcement
(Released: June 01, 2020 - Expired: July 15, 2020)

CONTACT: Michael Booz
Area Management Biologist
(907) 235-8191

Anchor River and Deep Creek Closed to Sport Fishing

(Homer) - In favor of protecting returning king salmon and ensuring sport fishing opportunities in the future, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) is closing the Anchor River and Deep Creek drainages to sport fishing effective 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, June 3 through 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, July 15, 2020.

As of May 31, 2020, a total of 184 king salmon had been counted on the Anchor River using a combination of video weirs and sonar and 138 king salmon had been counted on Deep Creek via sonar. By this date, in years when the Anchor River sustainable escapement goal (SEG: 3,800–7,600 king salmon) was not achieved, an average of 420 king salmon had been counted. Based on 2017–2019 Anchor River king run timing, the escapement is projected to be less than 2,000 kings in 2020.

“Although run timing has been variable in recent years, runs that start out with low counts like these have resulted in escapements that fall below the goal,” stated Area Management Biologist Mike Booz. “Closing these streams to sport fishing, along with the nearshore closure in the Upper Cook Inlet saltwaters, will give us the best chance of achieving the escapement goals.”

In conjunction with this closure, Emergency Order 2-KS-7-16-20 closes king salmon fishing, including catch-and-release, in the Upper Cook Inlet saltwaters north of Bluff Point and within one mile of shore from June 3 through July 15, 2020. Please review the emergency orders in their entirety.

For additional information, please contact Area Management Biologist Mike Booz or Assistant Area Management Biologist Holly Dickson at (907) 235-8191.

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