New sport fishing rules clarify handling of rockfish, salmon, lingcod

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced changes to sport fishing regulations that take effect for the 2026 season, including new requirements for keeping fish identifiable until anglers leave the water.

The Alaska Board of Fisheries adopted the changes at the March Statewide Finfish and Supplemental Issues meeting. The updates address how anglers must handle certain species and clarify what counts as sport fishing under state law.

Under Proposal 183, anglers who catch rockfish, lingcod or king salmon must keep the fish in a condition that allows species identification and length measurement until they tie up at a dock or leave the shoreline. The regulations do not prevent anglers from eating or preserving their catch at any time.

For species identification, anglers must keep enough of the fish with skin attached so it can be identified. Anglers can fillet their catch but must leave the skin on each fillet.

For length requirements, lingcod and king salmon must remain intact enough to measure total length. If an angler fillets the fish, the carcass including head, backbone and tail must stay in one piece for measurement.

The board also clarified the legal definition of sport fishing to match current state statute under Proposal 181. A fishing line must be attached to a rod or held in the hand. Lines cannot be attached only to other devices such as drones or remote-controlled boats.

Rockfish classification changed for consistency across the state under Proposal 184. All rockfish now fall into one of three groups: pelagic rockfish such as black, blue and dusky; nonpelagic rockfish such as copper, China and quillback; or demersal shelf rockfish such as yelloweye, canary and tiger. The change does not affect bag limits, possession limits or other rockfish regulations.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game released the announcement May 7. The regulations appear in the 2026 Alaska Sport Fishing Regulation Summary booklet.

For additional information, contact Jay Baumer, Southcentral Regional Biologist, at 907-267-2265, or the Sport Fish Information Center in Anchorage at 907-267-2218.

Anglers can find a complete summary of actions from the March meeting on the department's website at the 2026 Statewide Finfish Board of Fisheries meeting page.

The changes apply statewide to Alaska sport fishing.