Juneau's hatchery waters reopen six weeks ahead of schedule

Saltwater fishing near the Macaulay Salmon Hatchery reopens at 12:01 am Saturday, six weeks earlier than planned, with a limit of six coho a day of any size through the end of the year.

Fish and Game closed those waters on short notice in late August — all species, catch and release included — because the hatchery hadn't secured enough coho for broodstock. It has now, so the closure comes off.

The shortage traced back to a landslide. DIPAC, which runs Macaulay, said it expected poor coho returns to Gastineau Channel this year because most of the hatchery's 2023 brood year was lost in a 2020 slide. Those are the fish that would have come home this fall.

The department closed the same water for broodstock in 2023.

The reopening runs through 11:59 pm Dec. 31.