The use of gear on the Kenai River will be restricted to one unbaited, single-hook artificial lure starting next week, the State Department of Fish and Game announced Thursday.
The restriction will be effective starting Tuesday, through Aug. 15, effected by Emergency Order 2-KS-1-51-23.
“‘Single-hook means a fishhook with only one point,” an advisory announcement reads.
The restriction is intended to continue the effort to conserve Kenai River king salmon, the announcement says, as the department projects that escapement will fail to meet the escapement goal set by the Board of Fisheries.
As of Wednesday, only around 6,000 king salmon have been counted by sonar on the Kenai River. The escapement goal for the species is between 15,000 and 30,000. Projections that the species would fail to meet escapement goals led to preseason closures of the king salmon sport fishery and the east side setnet fishery in March, months before the start of their seasons.
“Projections for late-run Kenai River king salmon are not likely to meet the optimal escapement goal and it is necessary to restrict the use of bait and multiple hooks to reduce mortality of incidentally caught king salmon that are still entering the river and those that have already reached spawning grounds. Late-run king salmon spawn throughout the lower and middle river,” Acting Area Management Biologist Jenny Gates said in the release.
More information about fish counts, regulations and availability can be found at adfg.alaska.gov.
Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.
