Chitina opens full 168-hour dipnet week starting Monday, even as counts run behind projection

The Chitina Subdistrict personal use dipnet fishery will open for a full 168-hour week from 12:01 a.m. Monday, June 15, through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, June 21 — even though Miles Lake sonar counts for the first week of June came in about 5,600 salmon below preseason projections.

ADF&G counted 83,905 salmon passing the Miles Lake sonar June 1-7, short of the 89,542 the department had projected. The decision to maintain the full opening rests on historical migratory timing and the average harvest and participation rates from the previous three years.

The regulatory framework — codified at 5 AAC 77.591 — gives ADF&G discretion to shorten openings when counts lag projections or extend them when there's a surplus. In 2019, a surplus of 97,124 fish over projection during the same week supported extended openings. In recent years, the department has delayed or shortened openings when counts or conditions were weaker.

Rules and limits for this opening:

• Open to Alaska residents who hold a valid sport fishing license and a Chitina Personal Use Salmon Fishery Permit ($15).

• Annual limit: 25 salmon for head of household, plus 10 salmon for each dependent.

• King salmon must be released through June 30 — all king salmon caught in June return to the water unharmed.

• Steelhead must be released throughout the season.

• Harvest must be recorded on the permit immediately upon landing.

• Both tail fin tips must be clipped immediately upon landing — before the fish is hidden from view or moved from the fishing site.

Access and cultural-site detours:

The detours constructed in 2024 along the O'Brien Creek to Haley Creek section of the Copper River Highway Right of Way are still in effect. They route dipnetters around culturally significant sites. Any violation will result in immediate closure of the access road. For information on access across private lands, contact Chitina Native Corporation at (907) 823-2223 or Ahtna, Inc. at (907) 822-3476.

Before you go:

Call the Chitina Fishery information line at (907) 822-5224 to confirm the fishery is open before traveling. The schedule can change in-season if counts shift.