(Homer) - To protect returning king salmon and ensure sport fishing opportunities in the future, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) is reducing the annual limit of king salmon 20 inches or greater in length from five fish to two fish in the Cook Inlet salt waters north of the latitude of Bluff Point (59° 40.00' N. lat.). See the map below. This regulatory change is effective 12:01 a.m. Thursday, April 1 through 11:59 p.m. Thursday, July 15, 2021. All other sport fishing regulations outlined in the 2021 Southcentral Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet (available March 2021) for Cook Inlet salt waters remain the same.

“Given the uncertainties of the 2021 king salmon run strength of Kenai Peninsula Cook Inlet stocks, ADF&G is managing this fishery conservatively from the beginning,” stated Area Management Biologist Mike Booz. “This change does not affect sport fishing regulations south of Bluff Point and anglers will still be able to harvest a combined annual limit of five king salmon 20 inches or greater in length from Cook Inlet waters.”

In conjunction with this restriction, emergency order 2-KS-7-09-21 restricts fishing gear to only one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure in the Anchor River and Deep Creek drainages from May 22 through June 23, 2021. In addition, emergency order 2-KS-7-10-21 restricts the bag and possession limit in the Ninilchik River drainage to one hatchery king salmon 20 inches or greater in length during the Memorial Day weekend (May 29 - 31), and the following two weekends and Mondays following each weekend (June 5 - 7 and June 12 - 14), and the Youth-Only Fishery (June 9). Please review these emergency orders in their entirety.

King salmon escapement monitoring will begin in May on the Anchor, Kenai, and Ninilchik rivers. As the runs progress, run strength will be evaluated to determine inseason management actions.

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

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