Bellingham man cited for fishing closed waters in Egegik District

Justin Charles Ridley, 29, of Bellingham, Washington, faces a commercial fishing citation after Alaska Wildlife Troopers alleged he fished in closed waters along the South Line of the Egegik District on June 26.

Troopers cited Ridley under the Bristol Bay Salmon Enforcement Program, which deploys officers during peak season to monitor commercial fishing activity. Commercial salmon fishing in Alaska is regulated through management plans, openers, and closed-water boundaries designed to conserve fish stocks and allocate harvest opportunity. He is scheduled for arraignment at Naknek District Court on August 5, 2026. The citation is an accusation; Ridley is presumed innocent.