Fish and Game restricts king salmon fishing to catch-and-release on Kenai, Kasilof rivers

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has restricted king salmon fishing to catch-and-release only on the Kenai and Kasilof rivers.

The department issued dual emergency orders Monday in response to low king salmon numbers in Cook Inlet streams.

"The 2018 king salmon runs throughout Cook Inlet have consistently and significantly underperformed preseason expectations resulting in restrictions and closures of inriver and marine sports fisheries," wrote Cook Inlet Management Coordinator Matt Miller in the release announcing the Kenai River restrictions.

[After years of poor king salmon runs, renowned Kenai River sportfishing community adjusts]

On the Kenai, anglers fishing from the mouth of the river upstream to a regulatory marker about 300 yards downstream from Slikok Creek must release kings immediately and not remove them from the water. The river upstream of the marker has been closed to all king salmon fishing since June.

In addition, anglers are prohibited from using bait on both rivers and may only use single-hook lures. As of July 14, 2,770 large king salmon (defined as fish at least 29.53 inches long) had passed the Kenai River sonar site at river mile 13.7. That compares to 4,770 kings through July 14 last year and 5,727 through the same date in 2015.

The late run on the Kenai (which began July 1) is managed for a sustainable escapement goal range of 13,500 to 27,000 late-run, large king salmon.

"Without further restrictions to harvest, the goal for Kenai River late-run king salmon is not expected to be achieved," Miller said.

[Decline in king salmon is rooted in the sea, state biologists say]

The early run on the Kenai failed to meet its escapement goal, with just 3,000 kings counted through June 30. The department's early run optimal escapement goal is 3,900 to 6,600 large king salmon. The Kasilof River restrictions were put in place to prevent an over-harvest of fish there by anglers fleeing the Kenai, Miller wrote.

"Regulation restrictions and closures have been issued for the Kenai River king salmon sport fishery during July," he wrote. "These emergency orders will likely result in an increase in the sport fishing effort and catch of king salmon in the Kasilof River during July."

He said the department will monitor the situation and take additional measures as necessary.

The restrictions go into effect at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday and last through July 31.