Kuskokwim Bay subsistence fishing closes so commercial boats can fish

Subsistence fishing in Kuskokwim Bay's Districts 4 and 5 — the waters around Quinhagak and Goodnews Bay — closes early Monday and stays shut until Friday, so the same waters can open to commercial fishing instead.

The state has scheduled five 12-hour commercial periods, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday. It's the latest in a series this month of pairing a commercial opening with a subsistence closure, a swap state regulation permits in these two districts through Sept. 8. The subsistence closure lifts Friday morning, eight hours before the final commercial period starts.

Commercial fishers can keep part of their catch for personal use if it's logged on a fish ticket. WildFish Marketing remains the only processor registered to buy in the area, and the state says it will watch how the fishery performs before scheduling more periods.