Fish and Game closes Uganik and Uyak herring districts in the Kodiak Area

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game closed the Uganik and Uyak districts to commercial food and bait herring fishing at noon Friday. That shuts two of the eight Kodiak Area districts that opened at 9 am Oct. 26. Permit holders still have six open districts with a combined guideline harvest level of 800 tons.

The season opened with a 1,280-ton areawide guideline harvest level, 130 tons below last year's. Uganik and Uyak held the second- and third-largest shares: 320 tons for Uganik and 160 tons for Uyak, according to the department's opening advisory. Under the season's rules, each district closes for the rest of the season once its harvest level is reached.

The Nov. 6 advisory does not say how much herring has been landed, in the two closed districts or areawide. It also does not give a reason for the closures.

Six districts stay open until further notice: West Afognak (100 tons), North Afognak (20), South Afognak (25), Alitak (90), Eastside (485) and Inner Marmot (80). Eastside has the largest harvest level of the open districts. The Offshore West Afognak, Outer Uganik and Offshore Uyak Bay sections remain closed, as does the rest of the Kodiak Area.

Permit holders, buyers and tender operators must still register with the ADF&G Kodiak office before operating. Fishermen must report their catch to that office immediately upon landing. The advisory warns that failure to report will result in closures in adjacent areas.

Last fall, under a 1,410-ton areawide limit, Uganik closed at noon Nov. 5, according to that season's second advisory.