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: July 07, 2021 - Expired: July 31, 2021)

CONTACT: Colton Lipka
Area Management Biologist
(907) 262-9368

Kenai River Personal Use Dip Net Fishery Opens July 10 with No Retention of King Salmon

(Soldotna) - The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) reminds Alaska residents the Kenai River personal use dipnet fishery opens on July 10 and continues through July 31, 2021. However, the retention of king salmon in the Kenai River personal use fishery is prohibited. Any king salmon caught incidentally may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately and returned to the water unharmed. This regulatory change is effective 6:00 a.m. Saturday, July 10 through 11:00 p.m. Saturday, July 31, 2021.

On June 16, 2021, ADF&G issued an emergency order prohibiting the use of bait on the Kenai River effective July 1 from its mouth upstream to an ADF&G regulatory marker located approximately 300 yards downstream from the mouth of Slikok Creek. Per the Kenai River Late-Run King Salmon Management Plan, the retention of king salmon in the personal use fishery is prohibited, if bait is prohibited in the Kenai River sport fishery. Restrictions were also implemented on the commercial fisheries per the management plan.

"The 2021 Kenai River late-run king salmon fishery started July 1 with restrictions to reduce the harvest of king salmon,” stated Area Management Biologist Colton Lipka. “The management plan calls for subsequent actions in the personal use fishery to reduce the mortality of king salmon while allowing Alaskans to harvest sockeye salmon in the dip net fishery.”

Dipnetting on the Kenai River is allowed from 6:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. each day, from July 10 through July 31. An Upper Cook Inlet Personal Use permit and a 2021 Alaska Sport Fishing license are required to participate. Only Alaska residents can participate. The Upper Cook Inlet Personal Use permits are available at local ADF&G offices, vendors, and the ADF&G online store. Please review page 14 of the 2021 Southcentral Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for the Kenai River Dipnet Fishery regulations and description of the dipnet area.

For additional information, please contact Area Management Biologist Colton Lipka at (907) 262-9368.

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