ADF&G closes Macaulay Hatchery area to king salmon fishing July 1

Shore anglers fishing the Wayside Park dock near Juneau's Macaulay Salmon Hatchery can no longer target king salmon in the closure area starting Wednesday. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Sport Fish is closing a 300-yard radius around the Channel Wayside fishing dock to king salmon sport fishing and snagging from 12:01 a.m. July 1 through 11:59 p.m. August 31, 2026. King salmon may not be targeted, retained, or possessed in the closure area; anglers who hook a king while fishing for other species must release it immediately, unharmed. The agency's announcement included an attached map showing the exact 300-yard boundary around the dock.

The closure reverses access that had been in place since June 1. ADF&G had opened hatchery king salmon fishing near Juneau under liberalized regulations scheduled to run through August 31, making this an in-season restriction for anglers who had been counting on that full window. The agency's rationale is broodstock protection: "King salmon returning to the Douglas Island Pink and Chum Inc. Macaulay Salmon Hatchery congregate along the shoreline and are vulnerable to harvest in this area. This closure is necessary to ensure that enough king salmon make it up the fish ladder to meet egg-take goals needed for future production."

The closure carries a conditional out. "If enough king salmon are passed into the hatchery raceways, then this closure will be rescinded" before August 31. Anglers should watch for follow-up advisories or contact Juneau Area Management Biologist Daniel Teske at (907) 465-8152 or [email protected].