Kodiak salmon fishing ends Monday evening in Eastside and Northeast districts

Commercial salmon fishing shuts down at 6 p.m. Monday in the Eastside Kodiak and Northeast Kodiak districts and in the Outer Ayakulik and Humpy-Deadman sections, while seiners on the west and north sides hold fishing time through Wednesday evening. The split comes from Emergency Order #4-FS-K-44-26, issued Saturday by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game in Advisory Announcement #44.

The order marks the first time ADF&G has divided nine sections that had been extended together three times through August. Those sections, spanning the Southwest Kodiak, Northwest Kodiak, Afognak and Alitak districts, were scheduled to close together at 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 29, under a 72-hour extension from Advisory #42. Advisory #44, issued that morning, split them instead: five west and north side sections, including the Outer Karluk Section, got a 96-hour extension to 6 p.m. Wednesday, Sept. 2, while four Alitak District sections received only 24 hours, closing at 6 p.m. Sunday. The remainder of the Afognak District closed Saturday evening. The announcement gives no reason for the difference.

The king salmon restriction is unchanged. Throughout the area, the department said, "purse seine gear may not retain Chinook salmon 28 inches or greater; they must be released unharmed."

Chinook escapement past the Karluk weir last year was 93 fish, second lowest on record, against a goal of 3,000 to 6,000; the Ayakulik weir counted 444 against 4,800 to 8,400, per the department's season summary. ADF&G's 2026 Kodiak forecast rates both pink and sockeye harvests "weak," at 12.3 million and roughly 2.05 million fish. Last year's fishery drew 142 purse seine and 105 set gillnet permit holders. Area biologist Geoff Spalinger is at 907-486-1830.