No king salmon to keep in Nushagak-Mulchatna through July 31

Sport anglers in the Nushagak-Mulchatna drainage cannot keep a single king salmon for the rest of the season under Emergency Order 2-KS-2-35-26, which prohibits retention of kings of any size through 11:59 p.m. July 31. Any king caught must be released immediately without being removed from the water. The order took effect June 28. A companion bait ban, in effect since June 24, limits anglers to one unbaited, single-hook artificial lure; the Wood River drainage is excluded from both orders.

The run is in crisis. Cumulative Nushagak escapement stood at 26,184 fish as of July 8, with a projected end-of-season sonar passage of 37,120, less than 40 percent of the 95,000 inriver goal. "Nushagak River king salmon cumulative escapement stands at 26,184 (538 yesterday), with projected end-of-season sonar passage of 37,120, well below the 95,000 inriver run goal, so king salmon conservation measures remain in effect," ADF&G's Bristol Bay Commercial Fisheries division said.

To offset the restrictions, ADF&G raised the sockeye bag and possession limit to 10 fish in the Nushagak-Mulchatna drainage through Dec. 31, 2026.