Hoping to reverse a steady slide in the number of king salmon returning to the popular Anchor River on the southern tip of the Kenai Peninsula, biologists at the Alaska Department of Fish and Game will cut back fishing opportunities this summer.
The number of kings returning to the clear-water stream has dropped 63 percent from 9,622 in 2007 to just 3,547 last summer.
The state's escapement goal – the number of fish biologists want to see escaping anglers to spawn upstream – is between 3,800 and 10,000 fish. In recent years, the bottom end of that goal has been adjusted downward.
To reverse the decline, fishing will be closed on Wednesday – even though the new 2012 sport fishing regulation book says it will be open. Instead, fishing will be legal for five Saturday-to-Monday weekends – May 19-21, May 26-28, June 2-4, June 9-11, June 16-18.
"The recent poor king salmon runs and uncertainty over how quickly the run may rebound justify starting the 2012 season with a reduced amount of fishing time and area," according to the Fish and Game press release. "These steps are being taken in advance of the season to reduce the need for more disruptive action during the season."
Biologists are also limiting the area of the river open to anglers, aiming to protect king salmon that commonly hold in what's know as the "bridge hole."