As of Wednesday at 12:01 a.m., the bag limit on the Russian River and Upper Kenai will become nine fish per day with 18 fish in possession. This Fish and Game emergency order will be in effect until July 7.

“We opened the waters of the sanctuary and increased the bag limit from three to six last week and sockeye salmon keep pouring into the Russian River,” Area Management Biologist Colton Lipka said in a press release. “With these numbers, it is appropriate to increase the limits and allow anglers an opportunity to harvest more sockeye salmon.”

As of June 17, 50,641 sockeye have been counted at the Russian River weir for the early sockeye run. In comparison, last year on June 17 only 7,759 sockeyes were counted at the same weir.

These numbers already exceed the early-run Russian River sockeye salmon escapement goal of 22,000 to 42,000.

“We opened the waters of the sanctuary and increased the bag limit from three to six last week and sockeye salmon keep pouring into the Russian River,” Lipka stated. “With these numbers, it is appropriate to increase the limits and allow anglers an opportunity to harvest more sockeye salmon.”