Summer troll extension announced

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has extended the Southeast-Yakutat commercial troll fishery through Sept. 30.

The extension applies to the retention of all species except king salmon, with the following restrictions: Districts 1 and 2-waters south of the latitude of Foggy Point at 54°55.54′ N latitude will be closed; District 12, Section 12-B waters north of the latitude of Point Couverden will be closed; District 14, sections 14-B and 14-C will be closed; and District 15 will be closed. The areas of frequent high king salmon abundance will also remain closed.

The extension is being implemented based on

projections by the department that escapement goals will be met after considering harvest and effort. The wild commercial harvest and total all-gear commercial harvest projections for coho salmon are down from the estimates in early August, due mainly to near-record low troll effort targeting them during late August and early September.

Coho catch rates in the

troll and drift gillnet fisheries have improved recently, with troll CPUEs near or above the

20-year average in all portions of the region except the Southern Inside troll area.

The areas scheduled to close on Sept. 20 are not being extended due to well-below average catch rates and early

indications of relatively weak coho returns to those areas.

Fish tickets must be

submitted to the department within seven days of landing, and the operator of a

fishing vessel whose port of delivery is outside the State of Alaska must submit a

completed fish ticket to the department before the fish are transported out of the State. All salmon harvested in the

summer troll fishery must be offloaded prior to

participating in the winter troll fishery.

The Port Armstrong special harvest area (SHA) will

remain open to trolling through Sept. 30, except in waters north of a line from 56°17.61′ N.

latitude, 134°40.27′ W.

longitude to 56°17.67′ N.

latitude, 134°39.64′ W. longitude.

The Mist Cove SHA

will remain open to trolling for all species except king salmon

as well, expect south of a

line from 56°31.07′ N. latitude, 134°40.20′ W. longitude

to 56°31.07′ N. latitude, 134°40.12′ W. longitude.

The Hidden Falls terminal harvest area (THA) will

remain open to trolling for all species except king

salmon through Oct. 10, except for closed waters north

and west of a line between a point at 57°13.17′ N. latitude, 134°51.86′ W. longitude

and a point at 57°13.08′ N. latitude, 134°52.02′ W. longitude,

and the waters north of a line from 57°13.05′ N. latitude, 134°52.24′ W. longitude

to 57°13.06′ N. latitude, 134°52.20′ W. longitude.

The Deep Inlet THA will remain open to trolling through Oct. 3 for all species, according to the rotational schedule described in a news release issued on April 3.

The Anita Bay and Nakat Inlet THAs will remain open to trolling for all species through Nov. 10.

The Neets Bay THA will remain open to trolling for all species except king salmon through Sept. 30 in the waters east of the easternmost tip of Bug Island and west of the barrier net at the head of the bay will be open.

The 2015-16 winter troll fishery will open according to regulation at midnight, Oct. 11. The management plan will be available by early October in all ADF&G area offices and on the troll fishery website.