(Juneau) - The Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced today the 2023 regionwide sport fishing regulations for king salmon in Southeast Alaska and the modifications for the Juneau Area. The following regionwide regulations, are effective 12:01 a.m. Friday, March 10, 2023, through 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, April 30, 2024:

Alaskan Resident

• The resident bag and possession limit is two king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length;
• From March 10 through March 31, 2023, and October 1, 2023 through March 31, 2024, a resident sport fish angler may use two rods when fishing for king salmon, a person using two rods under this regulation may only retain salmon.

Nonresident

• The nonresident bag and possession limit is one king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length;
• From January 1 through June 30, the nonresident annual harvest limit is three king salmon 28 inches or greater in length;
• From July 1 through July 15, the nonresident annual harvest limit is two king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length; any king salmon harvested from January 1 through June 30 will apply towards the two fish annual harvest limit;
• From July 16 through December 31, the nonresident annual harvest limit is one king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length; any king salmon harvested from January 1 through July 15 will apply towards the one fish annual harvest limit;
• Immediately upon landing and retaining a king salmon a nonresident must enter the species, date and location on the back of their sport fishing license or on a nontransferable harvest record;

The Southeast regionwide bag and possession limits above will apply in all areas except as modified below for the inside waters in the vicinity of Juneau:

Marine waters near Juneau except Seymour Canal and upper Taku Inlet: (The waters of District 9 north of a line from Patterson Pt. to Pt. Ellis, District 10, Sections 11-A, 11-B, 11-C, District 12, Portion of Section 13-C southeast of a line between Nismeni Pt. and a point on the Chichagof Island shoreline at 57° 35.59' N. lat., 135° 22.33' W. long., Sections 14-B and 14-C, and District 15 south of the latitude of Sherman Rock; see attached map)

• April 1 through June 14, 2023: No retention of king salmon. All king salmon caught must be released immediately.

In the waters adjacent to the Taku River: (Taku Inlet north of a line from Point Bishop to Point Greely, see attached map)

• April 1 through June 30, 2023: No retention of king salmon. All king salmon caught must be released immediately.

In the waters adjacent to the King Salmon River: (Section 11-D, Seymour Canal north of 57° 37' N. latitude, see attached map)

• April 1 through June 30, 2023: closed to king salmon fishing, all anglers may not target or retain king salmon.

The Pacific Salmon Commission has adopted a new method for setting the annual king salmon catch limit for Southeast Alaska. The catch limit is allocated among gear types in accordance with Board of Fisheries approved management plans. Under this new method, the king salmon catch limit will not be known until early April. Regional king salmon sport fishing regulations issued for the 2022 season continue to be in effect until the 2023 Southeast Alaska king salmon catch limit is established. Regional sport fishing regulations may be updated in April if a change is required.

A separate news release will be issued announcing king salmon regulations for locations where Alaska hatchery-produced king salmon are expected to return.

Anglers fishing north of the Juneau area should review the news release announcing regulations for the Haines/Skagway area. Anglers fishing south of the Juneau area should review the news release announcing regulations for the Petersburg/Wrangell and Ketchikan areas.

For further information concerning this announcement please contact Juneau Area Management Biologist, Daniel Teske at (907) 465-8152 or visit our website.

#23-3464