King salmon limit returns to one fish north of Bluff Point on Aug. 16

Anglers in Upper Cook Inlet salt waters north of Bluff Point may keep one king salmon of any size beginning Aug. 16. The closure that has run since May 1 expires that day. The one-fish bag and possession limit holds through Sept. 15.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game closed those waters to king salmon fishing, including catch-and-release, under Emergency Order 2-KS-7-5-26. The boundary is the latitude of Bluff Point, 59 degrees 40 minutes north. In its February notice announcing the restriction, the department said it acted "to reduce harvest of Cook Inlet king salmon stocks that are experiencing a period of low productivity and provide a more comprehensive and precautionary approach to king salmon sport fisheries in the Gulf of Alaska." The notice also said the changes "do not affect fishing for other species, including halibut."

Guides face a separate rule that does not lift on Aug. 16. In the Cook Inlet saltwater king salmon management area, guides may not sport fish from April 1 through Aug. 31 while a client is present or under the guide's control, except when assisting a client with a disability as defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act. For guides and charter operators working north of Bluff Point, that prohibition limits their own fishing while serving clients. It shapes how trips are run, even as recreational anglers regain a one-fish king limit after Aug. 15.

The department based the closure on forecasts showing Kenai, Anchor and Deshka river king runs below the low end of their escapement goals. Records show the Deshka and Kenai goals were missed in four of the last five years. The Board of Fisheries has designated Kenai River late-run kings a stock of management concern. The management plan keeps the saltwater closure in place each year until the stock meets removal criteria. Alaska News has covered the parallel Kenai River king closure, which also runs through Aug. 15.