Bristol Bay tightens the rules on its king salmon again

New king salmon rules are in force on Bristol Bay's Naknek and Nushagak rivers, the latest squeeze on a fish that keeps getting harder to catch legally across Alaska. The Board of Fisheries adopted them to conserve the run while leaving anglers some room to fish.

On the Naknek, the limits are now tighter at the top end. You can keep three kings 20 inches or longer a day, but only one of those can be 28 inches or bigger. For the year, the drainage allows five kings, and no more than two may hit that 28-inch mark — down from three. And the recording rule is not optional: every king 20 inches or longer has to be logged in ink on your license, a harvest card, or the ADF&G app, right away. Smaller kings, under 20 inches, are capped at 10 a day.

On the Nushagak, bait and multiple hooks are banned from May 1 through July 31 — for guides and everyone else.

The Bristol Bay Economic Development Corporation backed the tighter Naknek limits, arguing they'd protect the stock without shutting down the fishery. These are permanent Board rules, not a temporary emergency order — though the state can still tighten things further in-season if the run comes in weak.