Copper River Basin
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Why Alaska is giving out-of-staters more kings as the runs falter
Alaska just doubled out-of-staters' king limit in Southeast even as kings struggle elsewhere — because these are treaty-quota ocean fish, and visitors foot much of the state's fishing-budget bill.

Washington Man Cited for Keeping Snagged Sockeye on Russian River
A Washington angler got cited for keeping a snagged sockeye on the Russian — where "hooked in the mouth or it's poaching" isn't fussiness, it's how Alaska keeps the run honest.

Copper River Kings Hit a Record Low — and Limits Drop
The Copper River's king run is the worst on record, so Alaska is cutting anglers from four fish to one — betting this summer's catch against next year's spawn.

Federal rule renames Alaska subsistence bird-harvest region as Ahtna Territory
Federal wildlife officials renamed the Upper Copper River subsistence bird-harvest region as Ahtna Territory and aligned spring and summer harvest dates to match local Indigenous Knowledge.

Two Things Worth Watching at the Marijuana Board
Alaska's marijuana board meets in Fairbanks, where a license sale comes with baggage and growers renew their gripe that untaxed hemp THC is eating their lunch.

A Senate vote on the federal lands maintenance fund has major Alaska stakes
The Senate is reauthorizing the fund that pays to fix trails and visitor centers across Alaska's federal lands. Murkowski's staff stayed up.

Wasilla man faces assault, evidence-tampering charges in domestic violence arrest
Alaska State Troopers arrested six people in domestic disturbance calls across Mat-Su and near Glennallen on June 12 and 13. • Charges included second-degree assault, third-degree assault, weapon misconduct, and criminal mischief. • Five arrestees were held at Mat-Su Pretrial Facility. One was transported to Glennallen Post. • All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

JBER seeks contractor for youth sports officials after 6-month gap
Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson is hiring a contractor to provide certified sports officials for youth programs serving 1,240 games annually across six sports after operating six months without professional officiating.

Both cranes on Cordova's Drive Down Dock are out of service at the height of Copper River salmon season
Bad timing for fishing season as Cordova Drive down dock crane is not up to snuff

Chitina opens full 168-hour dipnet week starting Monday, even as counts run behind projection
Chitina dipnet fishery opens for a full week starting Monday, June 15, despite sonar counts running about 5,600 salmon below projection for early June.

The navigability question that's been simmering since Alaska statehood just got four more answers
The federal government has formally cleared its claim to submerged lands beneath four Alaska rivers and lakes, affirming state ownership in a dispute that has simmered since statehood and will likely take decades more to fully resolve.

Hatchery groups cite NOAA Chinook decision as validation
NOAA found Gulf of Alaska Chinook salmon do not warrant endangered-species protection, a decision hatchery operators cite as validation of their management but that critics say masks weaker local populations.

ADF&G opens Copper River drift gillnet fishery Thursday for 24 hours
Alaska Department of Fish and Game opens Copper River drift gillnet fishery for 24 hours starting 7 a.m. Thursday, June 26, targeting sockeye salmon while monitoring Chinook conservation limits of 21,000 to 31,000 fish.

Southcentral Foundation offers cultural education classes in June
Southcentral Foundation's Traditional Healing Clinic offers Alaska Native cultural classes in late May and early June, including Ahtna language, traditional food prep, and craft skills like kuspuk sewing in Anchorage.

Alaska opens Chitina dipnet fishery despite Copper River run 55% low
Alaska opened the Chitina dipnet fishery for 60 hours starting Friday despite the Copper River salmon run running 55 percent below target for early June, with subsistence fishers already reporting low catches upstream.

Chitina dipnet fishery opens Friday for 60 hours
Alaska Fish and Game cut the Chitina dipnet salmon opening to 60 hours this weekend after sonar counts fell 30,412 salmon short of forecast, triggering an automatic reduction under state management rules.

Canoe capsizes on Tolsona Lake; rescue raft overturns; all reach island safely
A canoe capsized on Tolsona Lake near Glennallen on May 29, a rescue raft overturned, but all occupants wearing life jackets reached an island safely and were picked up by troopers and fire crews with no injuries reported.

DOT&PF lifts weight limits on Dalton, Elliott highways; dozens of Interior roads still restricted
Elliott and Dalton highways lifted all seasonal weight limits Friday. • Parks, Richardson, Glenn, and Alaska highways returned to summer permitting. • Dozen Interior roads remain restricted to 50 to 100 percent of legal axle load.

Chitina dipnet fishery tentatively set for June 10; low rivers and ice flows could delay opening
Alaska Department of Fish and Game tentatively set the Chitina Personal Use dipnet fishery to open June 10, but low river levels and ice flows from Miles Lake could delay the opening pending sonar salmon counts in early June.

Eye Guys to visit 10 Alaska communities in June for AlaskaCare retiree exams
The Eye Guys will visit 10 Alaska communities June 1-28 to provide free comprehensive eye exams for AlaskaCare retirees covered under VSP vision benefits. Call (907) 376-3917 to schedule.

DEED seeks Interior, Northwest parents for migrant education council
Alaska's education department seeks two parents from Interior and Northwest regions by May 31 to join the council that guides the migrant education program for students whose families move for seasonal work.

UAF glaciology program returns to McCarthy for eighth summer
UAF Tom Sawyered 28 young folks who will now be spending 11 days out on a glacier.

Ice Flows Delay Miles Lake Sonar, Chitina Dipnet Season in Limbo
Ice flows are delaying Miles Lake sonar equipment, pushing the Chitina dipnet season opening to a tentative June 10 noon start pending sonar data on salmon passage.

Alaska DOT imposes four-tier weight limits on Northern Region roads
Alaska DOT limits truck weights on Northern Region roads starting May 21 due to spring thaw. • Restrictions range from 50 to 100 percent of legal axle load depending on road condition. • Major highways like Parks Highway stay at full weight, while rural roads drop to 50 percent. • Elliot and Dalton highways exempt from seasonal limits.
Alaska House passes Native corporation reinstatement bill after Senate changes
Alaska House voted 36-3 to accept Senate changes to HB 126, allowing involuntarily dissolved Native corporations to reinstate as the same legal entity rather than transfer assets to a new corporation.

Deadhorse Airport fence project reaches 3,500 feet of installation
Crews installed 3,500 feet of fence at Deadhorse Airport. • Work continues on 24 Northern Region road and bridge projects. • Travelers should check 511 for ongoing construction delays.
Late breakup delays Chitina dipnet season; salmon run expected late
Chitina dipnet season tentatively opens June 10, delayed by late ice breakup and expected late salmon passage at Miles Lake sonar.
Alaska House passes fisheries tax credit expansion unanimously
Alaska House unanimously approved a bill extending a tax credit for seafood processors through 2037 and expanding it to all fish species, aiming to help the industry during poor market conditions.
House panel advances retirement savings program for private workers
Alaska House panel advanced a bill to create a state-run retirement savings program for private workers at small businesses, with automatic enrollment at 5 percent of pay and no cost to employers.
Upper Copper River king salmon fishery requires new permit in 2026
King salmon anglers in the Upper Copper River must get a free individual permit this season and report any fish 20 inches or longer by August 31.
McCarthy Road opens for season with difficult conditions, 35 mph advisory
McCarthy Road opened May 8 for the season with a 35 mph advisory due to soft shoulders, potholes, and rough conditions on the 60-mile gravel route to McCarthy and Kennicott.