The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has tightened the sport fishing limits for Wrangell Narrows and Blind Slough Terminal Harvest Area where hatchery kings return.
The new limits were put in place due to poor returns of king salmon in the area, and will be in effect Saturday, June 15, through July 31.
In the Wrangell Narrows, south of Matinsens’s dock and north and east of the northern tip of Woewodski Island at the southern entrance to the narrows, the new bag and possession limit for all anglers is one king salmon. Nonresident annual limits will now apply in this area as well, the department said in its June 13 announcement
The fresh waters of Blind Slough, upstream of a line from Blind Point to Anchor Point, are closed to sportfishing for king salmon.
“King salmon caught while fishing for other species may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately,” the department said. “While fishing for other species, only unbaited artificial lures may be used.”
South of Wrangell on the east side of Etolin Island, Anita Bay has been open to Wrangell anglers since June 1, with additional areas open June 15. District 8 remains closed until July 15, however, to further protect wild stocks of king salmon returning to the Stikine River.
This year’s sportfishing restrictions follow a trend of weak salmon runs over the past several years.
“King salmon have been struggling due in part to challenging ocean survival conditions for several years,” Jeff Rice, Fish and Game fisheries biologist in Petersburg, said June 14. “Since 2017, there have been greater restrictions in place.”
The added restrictions in Wrangell Narrows are to ensure that enough mature king salmon return to the Crystal Lake Hatchery on Mitkof Island. “This year we forecasted for 1,400 kings (to return), which is a very low number compared to historic returns,” Rice said.
He added that 1,000 adult kings are needed for broodstock, or reproductively mature fish, at the hatchery. “That leaves a surplus of 400 harvestable kings,” if the forecast comes true, he said.
“The goal,” Rice said, “is the broodstock goal being achieved, which is 1,000 adult kings back to the hatchery, while still allowing opportunity for anglers to harvest king salmon.”
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