Fish and Game recommends escapement changes

Fish and Game recommends escapement changes

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is recommending some changes in salmon escapement goals for the Cook Inlet.

The escapement goals, which have been set and evaluated at regular intervals since Alaska’s statehood, were last reviewed in the 2016-2017 season. Over the course of several months, Fish and Game staff in both commercial and sport fisheries met five times to review existing escapement goals and released recommendations ahead of the April 10 deadline for proposals.

“It is important to note that any recommended changes will not take effect until the 2020 fishing season, as they are not officially adopted until approved by the department after the 2019-2020 board regulatory cycle,” according to a March 27 memo.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

The committee found that the Kenai River’s sockeye salmon escapement goal of 700,000 to 1,200,000 should be updated. Based on models, the committee found that the Kenai River sockeye escapement goals are probably too low to maximize yields and should be updated to 750,000 to 1,300,000.

“This escapement goal range is precautionary regarding recognized limitations in available stock productivity information and avoids potential risks of adversely impacting available yield,” according to the memo.

In reviewing the Kasilof River sockeye return, the committee examined data from all available spawner-return data, spanning from 1968 to 2012. They recommend the escapement goal be lowered from a range of 160,000 to 340,000 to a range of 140,000 to 320,000.

The committee didn’t make any recommendations on early-run Russian River sockeye because the current escapement goal was adopted in 2011 with 34 years of data to back it, but they did recommend changes to the late-run goal. The current escapement goal, established in 2005, ranges from 30,000 to 110,000 for late-run sockeye in the Russian River. The committee recommends this be updated to 44,000 to 85,000.

The committee didn’t recommend any changes to the Kenai River king salmon fishery since escapement goals for Kenai king salmon only have three new years of return data for both early- and late-run kings.

The recommendations will be formalized and presented to a Board of Fisheries work session in October.

The Alaska Board of Fisheries’ call for proposed changes in subsistence, personal use, sport, guided sport and commercial fishing regulations closes on Wednesday, April 10.

More in News

President Zen Kelly speaks during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education in Soldotna, Alaska, on Monday, July 7, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
School board finalizes budget with deep cuts to programming, classrooms

Multiple members of the board said they were frustrated by the state’s failure to fund education.

Former KPBSD Finance Director Liz Hayes speaks during a Kenai Peninsula Borough School District budget development meeting at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska, on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
School district finance department earns national awards

The two awards are based on comprehensive reviews of the district’s budget and financial reporting.

Children leap forward to grab candy during a Fourth of July parade on South Willow Street in Kenai, Alaska, on July 4, 2025. (Photo courtesy Sarah Every)
Celebrating the 4th in the streets

Kenai comes out for annual Independence Day parade.

Fire crews respond to the Bruce Fire, July 4, 2025, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Alaska Division of Forestry)
Firefighting crews respond to wildfire outside Soldotna

The 8-acre fire and two “spot fires” of less than one acre each are located near Mile 102 and 103 of the Sterling Highway.

Robert Weaver was last seen at the Doroshin Bay public use cabin on June 25, 2025. (Photo provided by the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge)
Updated: Refuge ends search efforts for missing man

Robert Weaver was last seen near Skilak Lake on June 25.

The Alaska Dive Search Rescue and Recovery Team conducts a training mission in Seward, Alaska in 2024. Photo courtesy of the Alaska Dive Search Rescue and Recovery Team
Anchor Point fundraiser to benefit Alaska rescue and recovery group

Alaska Dive Search Rescue and Recovery Team is an all-volunteer nonprofit organization established in 2016.

Kachemak Bay Family Planning Clinic staff (left to right) Angie Holland, RN; Jane Rohr, Sonja Martin Young, CNM; Robin Holmes, MD; and Cherie Bole, CMA provide an array of reproductive and sexual health services. (Photo provided by KBFPC)
Kachemak Bay Family Planning Clinic releases report on STI trends on the Kenai Peninsula

The report pulls from data gathered from 2024 to early 2025.

Pool manager and swim coach Will Hubler leads a treading water exercise at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska, on Tuesday, June 17, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Swimmers, parents call on Kenai to support Kenai Central pool

The KPBSD Board of Education last week said communities will need to step up and take over administration of pools within the next year.

Most Read