Salmon dries on a traditional rack on the beach in the Seward Peninsula village of Teller on Sept. 2, 2021. Salmon is a dietary staple for Indigenous residents of Western Alaska, and poor runs have created hardship. (Photo and caption by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)

Fishery managers call for deeper look at salmon bycatch, but decline to tighten rules

Incidental catches of salmon in nets harvesting pollock have skyrocketed, but scientists say that is not the driver of poor returns

Salmon dries on a traditional rack on the beach in the Seward Peninsula village of Teller on Sept. 2, 2021. Salmon is a dietary staple for Indigenous residents of Western Alaska, and poor runs have created hardship. (Photo and caption by Yereth Rosen/Alaska Beacon)
The Kasilof River can be seen in June 2019. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s Division of Sport Fish announced on Monday a new wave of fisheries closures affecting fisheries in Ninilchik, Kasilof and Cook Inlet beginning this week. (Clarion file)

New wave of peninsula fisheries closures announced

Division of Sport Fish said that king salmon runs are not showing signs of improvement

The Kasilof River can be seen in June 2019. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s Division of Sport Fish announced on Monday a new wave of fisheries closures affecting fisheries in Ninilchik, Kasilof and Cook Inlet beginning this week. (Clarion file)
A man fishes in the Kenai River on July 16, 2018, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Peninsula Clarion/file)

Fishing report: King salmon fishing closed on Kenai amid poor run

June 8 fishing report outlined opportunities for anglers in the north Kenai area

A man fishes in the Kenai River on July 16, 2018, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Peninsula Clarion/file)
Screenshot via Alaska Department of Fish and Game website

Mobile app for anglers, hunters launched

The app will also include information about hunting and sport fishing regulations

Screenshot via Alaska Department of Fish and Game website
Nick Varney
Nick Varney
A man fishes in the Kenai River on July 16, 2018, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Peninsula Clarion/file)

King fishing closed on Kenai River, restricted on Kasilof

As of Sunday, a total of 265 kings had passed through the ADFG sonar tracker

A man fishes in the Kenai River on July 16, 2018, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Peninsula Clarion/file)
Anglers fish on the Kenai River on Tuesday, June 29, 2021, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Northern Kenai fishing report

Opportunities for anglers in the north Kenai area

Anglers fish on the Kenai River on Tuesday, June 29, 2021, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Nick Varney
Nick Varney
Anglers fish on the Kenai River on Tuesday, June 29, 2021, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Low early-run king numbers prompt restrictions

The cumulative sonar estimate is 72 large king salmon through May 29

Anglers fish on the Kenai River on Tuesday, June 29, 2021, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Silver salmon swim in Sucker Creek on Sept. 18, 2020. (Photo by Matt Bowser/Kenai National Wildlife Refuge)

Project to study effect of climate change on salmon streams

The organization will partner with the United States Geological Survey

Silver salmon swim in Sucker Creek on Sept. 18, 2020. (Photo by Matt Bowser/Kenai National Wildlife Refuge)
A man fishes in the Kenai River on July 16, 2018, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Peninsula Clarion/file)

Ninilchik River and Deep Creek to open sport fishing

Sport fishing will be open for three upcoming weekends

A man fishes in the Kenai River on July 16, 2018, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Peninsula Clarion/file)
In this July 13, 2007, photo, workers with the Pebble Mine project test drill in the Bristol Bay region of Alaska, near the village of Iliamma. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is proposing restrictions that would hinder plans for a copper and gold mine in Alaska’s Bristol Bay region. It is the latest in a long-running dispute over efforts by developers to advance a mine in a region known for its salmon runs. (AP Photo/Al Grillo, File)

Restrictions proposed in Pebble Mine fight

Critics of the project called the move an important step in a yearslong fight to stop the mine

In this July 13, 2007, photo, workers with the Pebble Mine project test drill in the Bristol Bay region of Alaska, near the village of Iliamma. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is proposing restrictions that would hinder plans for a copper and gold mine in Alaska’s Bristol Bay region. It is the latest in a long-running dispute over efforts by developers to advance a mine in a region known for its salmon runs. (AP Photo/Al Grillo, File)
A man fishes in the Kenai River on July 16, 2018, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Peninsula Clarion/file)

Emergency orders, fishing conditions updated

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game Division of Sport Fish released a Northern Kenai fishing report Friday

A man fishes in the Kenai River on July 16, 2018, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Peninsula Clarion/file)
Commercial fishing and other boats are moored in the Homer Harbor in this file photo. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

Seawatch: Bristol Bay sockeye run could stress processors

Bristol Bay is expected to see a return of as many as 75 million sockeye salmon

Commercial fishing and other boats are moored in the Homer Harbor in this file photo. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
Jay Marley, left, captain of the Fly Dough, holds up the John Hillstrand Memorial Award for running the boat that had the winning fish in the 28th annual Homer Winter King Salmon Tournament. Homer Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center executive director Brad Anderson is at right. Marley’s son, Weston Marley, won the top prize with a 27.38-pound king salmon. Jay Marley also was the top captain in 2021 when his son Andrew also won the tournament. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

Team Marley wins again

For the second year in a row, a Marley boy wins the Homer Winter King Salmon Tournament.

Jay Marley, left, captain of the Fly Dough, holds up the John Hillstrand Memorial Award for running the boat that had the winning fish in the 28th annual Homer Winter King Salmon Tournament. Homer Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center executive director Brad Anderson is at right. Marley’s son, Weston Marley, won the top prize with a 27.38-pound king salmon. Jay Marley also was the top captain in 2021 when his son Andrew also won the tournament. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
A man fishes in the Kenai River on July 16, 2018, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Peninsula Clarion/file)

State releases northern Kenai fishing report

Kasilof River steelhead fishing is beginning and expected to improve over the next few weeks

A man fishes in the Kenai River on July 16, 2018, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Peninsula Clarion/file)
A beach on the eastern side of Cook Inlet is photographed at Clam Gulch, Alaska, in June 2019. (Peninsula Clarion file)

Board of Fisheries sets new shellfish regs

Fisheries for hardshell clams, both butter and littleneck clams, are closed in all Cook Inlet and North Gulf Coast waters

A beach on the eastern side of Cook Inlet is photographed at Clam Gulch, Alaska, in June 2019. (Peninsula Clarion file)
Andrew Marley, the 2021 Homer Winter King Salmon Tournament winner, at left, holds his prize winning 25.62-pound white king salmon on Saturday, April 17, on the Homer Spit in Homer. Helping him are his father, Jay Marley, center, and older brother Weston Marley, right. The family team included Erica Marley, not shown, all fishing on the Fly Dough. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)

Winter King postponed to Sunday

The 28th annual Homer Winter King Salmon Tournament has been postponed to Sunday

Andrew Marley, the 2021 Homer Winter King Salmon Tournament winner, at left, holds his prize winning 25.62-pound white king salmon on Saturday, April 17, on the Homer Spit in Homer. Helping him are his father, Jay Marley, center, and older brother Weston Marley, right. The family team included Erica Marley, not shown, all fishing on the Fly Dough. (Photo by Michael Armstrong/Homer News)
The commerical fishing fleet is seen from Pacific Star Seafoods in Kenai, Alaska, on Tuesday, July 14, 2020. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Board of Fish votes no on Proposal 283

The proposal would have loosened restrictions for set gillnetters in a part of Cook Inlet

The commerical fishing fleet is seen from Pacific Star Seafoods in Kenai, Alaska, on Tuesday, July 14, 2020. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Boats are moored near the Kenai boat launch in Cook Inlet on Friday, June 18, 2021, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

New processor enters Cook Inlet market

The move follows the exit of Copper River Seafoods

Boats are moored near the Kenai boat launch in Cook Inlet on Friday, June 18, 2021, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)