The bag limit for sockeye salmon on the Kasilof River is doubled starting Wednesday, effective for the remainder of the season, the State Department of Fish and Game announced Tuesday.

Sport fishers on the Kasilof can harvest six sockeye per day and have 12 in possession once the change is effective.

The announcement comes the same day the department widened the area for the Kasilof River dipnet fishery. Nearly 111,000 sockeye have been counted on the river — with nearly 17,000 counted on Monday. This year’s count exceeds the counts at this time in each of the last four years. Last year, more than 1 million fish were counted — the escapement goal targets between 140,000 and 320,000 fish.

“Increasing the bag and possession limits for sockeye salmon allows anglers an opportunity to harvest additional sockeye salmon on what is shaping up to be a strong run,” Area Management Biologist Phill Stacey said in the announcement.

For more information on fishing regulations and availability, visit adfg.alaska.gov.

Reach out to Jake Dye jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.