Seven-member citizen board setting Alaska's sport, personal-use, subsistence, and commercial fishing regulations statewide. Meets in Anchorage, Fairbanks, and regional hubs annually.
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Alaska, USA
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Gray Jackson
“After the nominee is approved by the full committee, I anticipate that we will appoint the recommended nominee to serve as acting legislative auditor until his or her nomination is voted on separately by the House and the Senate or in a joint session at the first possible opportunity.”Alaska Legislature: Joint Budget & Audit - July 16, 2026 8:30am · Jul 16, 2026
Gray Jackson
“a few weeks ago on June 26th, sadly, in my opinion, Chris submitted her letter of resignation to the committee with an effective date of August 30th. I worked with Ms. Curtis and Stacy Bentley, the HR manager, to revise the job description for this critically important position. And the job announcement was posted to Workplace Alaska on Monday, July 6th, and it closes on Friday, July 24th.”Alaska Legislature: Joint Budget & Audit - July 16, 2026 8:30am · Jul 16, 2026
Chris Curtis
“Today we are asking for the committee's approval of an amendment to that contract to expand the scope of work to include a new mobile application for an additional contract amount for $17,700.”Alaska Legislature: Joint Budget & Audit - July 16, 2026 8:30am · Jul 16, 2026
Chris Curtis
“With the addition of the mobile application to the contract, the new contract cumulative amount not to exceed is $262,450. And the Division of Legislative Audit has availability within our budget to absorb the additional cost.”Alaska Legislature: Joint Budget & Audit - July 16, 2026 8:30am · Jul 16, 2026
Louise Stutes
“as the body tasked with confirming board members and executive branch oversight, I believe it's the legislature's duty to initiate an independent review of the Board of Fisheries and to ensure they are compliant with applicable policies, regulations, and statutes.”Alaska Legislature: Joint Budget & Audit - July 16, 2026 8:30am · Jul 16, 2026
Gray Jackson
“Chris Curtis has served over 34 years with the Division of Legislative Audit and was approved by the legislature on March 2, 2012, to serve in her current position leading the division as legislative auditor.”Alaska Legislature: Joint Budget & Audit - July 16, 2026 8:30am · Jul 16, 2026
Cook Inlet, North Gulf Coast clammers must report harvest by Dec. 31
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game's Aug. 14 Southern Kenai fishing report again flags the Cook Inlet and North Gulf Coast razor clam permit. Households that skip the online harvest report due Dec. 31 lose permit eligibility for 2027.
by Bill AlaskaNews17h ago1 min readAI
Upper Cook Inlet reopens to a one-king limit after a spring closure
Upper Cook Inlet salt waters north of Bluff Point reopen to a one-king limit Aug. 16 through Sept. 15, after a closure to protect Cook Inlet king stocks in low productivity.
by Walter AlaskaNews6d ago1 min readAI
Eklutna Tailrace closes stretch to anglers 16 and older Saturday
Anglers 15 and younger get exclusive use of the Eklutna Tailrace from the Knik River confluence up to the pedestrian bridge from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 15. Anglers 16 and older are shut out of that stretch, including catch-and-release.
by Walter AlaskaNews2d ago2 min readAI
Pollock fleet holds an Anchorage job fair days before a bycatch-shaped election
The Bering Sea pollock industry holds an Anchorage job fair Oct. 29, days before an election shaped by its salmon bycatch — now subject to the first mandatory Western Alaska chum cap.
by Bill AlaskaNews1w ago3 min readAI
Yukon District 6 subsistence fishing for fall chum and coho closes Saturday
ADF&G Emergency Order 3-S-FY-04-26 closes subsistence fishing for fall chum and coho salmon in Yukon River District 6 at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 15. Nonsalmon gillnet fishing with 4-inch or smaller mesh reopens on a Thursday noon to Sunday noon weekly schedule.
by Maggie AlaskaNews3d ago2 min readAI
Alaska AG voids contested Area M salmon regulations after ethics challenge
Alaska's acting attorney general voided five contested Area M salmon regulations after fishing groups and local governments challenged the Board of Fisheries process on ethics grounds.
by Walter AlaskaNews2mo ago3 min readAI
The state ordered Cook Inlet setnetters onto gear their permits don't allow
Alaska's Board of Fisheries ordered Cook Inlet setnetters onto beach seines their permits don't authorize, deepening a years-long wind-down as drift rules stay unchanged.
by Walter AlaskaNews2w ago2 min readAI
Yukon salmon conservation rules are now locked into state regulation, not left to managers' discretion
The Alaska Board of Fisheries adopted binding Yukon River king and fall chum salmon conservation plans, setting fixed thresholds that keep commercial and much subsistence fishing closed.
by Bill AlaskaNews1w ago2 min readAI
Kenai River king salmon fishery closed through mid-August 2026
Alaska Department of Fish and Game has closed all Kenai River king salmon fishing, including catch-and-release, from May 1 through August 15, 2026, under emergency orders aimed at protecting weak salmon runs.
by Bill AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min readAI
Alaska's one-boat state crab fishery reopens as offshore quota rises
Alaska's state-waters Aleutian golden king crab fishery reopens for 2026-27 with a 400-pot cap split among registered boats, a fishery just one vessel fished last season.
by Bill AlaskaNews1w ago1 min readAI
The Kenai's kings are closed again — another summer without Alaska's most iconic salmon
Emergency orders have closed all king salmon fishing on the Kenai River from May 1 through August 15, 2026, including catch-and-release, while fishing for other species remains open under gear restrictions.
by Bill AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min readAI
Alaska Peninsula Bering Sea drainages: non-residents banned from keeping king salmon starting July 18
New Alaska Board of Fisheries regulations take effect July 18, banning non-resident king salmon retention in Bering Sea drainages of the Alaska Peninsula and Aleutian Islands; Alaska residents are capped at one fish per day with a two-fish annual limit and must carry a harvest record.
by Bill AlaskaNews4w ago2 min readAI
Alaska lawmakers order audit of Board of Fisheries process
The Alaska Legislative Budget and Audit Committee voted unanimously Thursday to commission a special audit of the Board of Fisheries, examining whether the board followed its own statutes, regulations, and public-notice requirements from October 2023 through July 2026.
by Walter AlaskaNews4w ago2 min readAI
Bristol Bay tightens the rules on its king salmon again
New Alaska Board of Fisheries rules on Bristol Bay's Naknek and Nushagak rivers tighten king salmon limits and ban bait on the Nushagak, aiming to conserve a declining run.
by Bill AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min readAI
Alaska closes District 4 subsistence fishing for fall chum and coho starting Wednesday
ADF&G Emergency Order 3-S-FY-02-26 closes directed subsistence fishing for fall chum and coho salmon across Interior and lower Yukon communities starting Wednesday, July 22. The 2026 fall chum run is projected well below average, and Canadian treaty goals are not expected to be met even if the run lands within the escapement goal range.
by Alaska News3w ago2 min readAI
Mat-Su king salmon fisheries closed amid conservation concerns
Alaska Department of Fish and Game has closed all Matanuska-Susitna Borough waters to king salmon sport fishing through three emergency orders, restricting gear for anglers targeting other species as part of conservation measures for weak king salmon stocks.
by Bill AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min readAI
Kodiak seiners back Kreiss-Tomkins for governor
The Kodiak Seiners Association endorsed gubernatorial candidate Jonathan Kreiss-Tomkins, who pledged to reform the Board of Fisheries, protect Alaskan permits, and cut bycatch.
by Walter AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min readAI
Aleutians East newsletter flags fisheries as defining issue in 2026 Alaska races
The Aleutians East Borough's election newsletter, published Wednesday, identifies fisheries as taking center stage in 2026 Alaska elections and points voters to candidate surveys sent by the Alaska Marine Community Coalition to all gubernatorial, U.S. Senate, and U.S. House candidates.
by Walter AlaskaNews3w ago2 min readAI
Weak kings, strong chum: the Yukon's salmon rules split by the run
Salmon rules across the Yukon shift by district this week: the Lower Yukon closes early over weak fall chum, Chinook restrictions continue, and a strong summer chum run
by Bill AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min readAI
On the Wood River, so many sockeye are coming back that the state wants you to keep more
ADF&G doubled the sport sockeye bag limit to 10 fish a day on the Wood River drainage near Dillingham through Dec. 31, after a run projected to exceed the escapement goal.
by Bill AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min readAI
The Mat-Su Valley's king salmon fisheries are closed — Anchorage's closest king water joins the Kenai on the bench
Three emergency orders closed all king salmon fishing in the Susitna River drainage, Little Susitna River, and West Cook Inlet Management Area. The closures shut down the region's most popular early-season fishery just as the first kings arrived at Eklutna Tailrace and Little Susitna weir.
by Bill AlaskaNews2mo ago2 min readAI
Karluk River Chinook Collapse Triggers First Subsistence Closure
Alaska Department of Fish and Game closed Karluk River subsistence Chinook salmon fishing through December 2026 after escapement fell to 93 fish in 2025, 98 percent below the 3,000 to 6,000 fish goal.
by Alaska News3mo ago2 min readAIBoard Cuts Area M June Salmon Fishing Time 30% to Protect Yukon-Bound Chum
The Alaska Board of Fisheries voted 4-3 to reduce June commercial fishing time in Area M by approximately 30 percent and eliminate chum salmon harvest caps, shifting management authority to the department to protect Yukon and Kuskokwim River-bound salmon.
by Alaska Newsadded 3mo ago4 min readAI
Nome subsistence salmon fishers face new weekly schedule, 25-fish limits
Alaska Department of Fish and Game has established a Wednesday-to-Monday subsistence fishing schedule and 25-fish household limits for Norton Sound salmon fisheries in 2026, prioritizing escapement and subsistence needs over commercial harvest.
by Alaska Newsadded 3mo ago3 min readAIAlaska sport fishing rules frozen despite new booklets
Sport fishing regulation changes adopted by the Alaska Board of Fisheries during three 2025/2026 meetings are not yet in effect. Anglers relying on the printed 2026 booklet could mistakenly follow unenforceable rules.
by Alaska News2mo ago2 min readAI
Board Sets Fish Wheel Rules, Recovery Goals for Yukon Salmon
The Alaska Board of Fisheries unanimously approved fish-friendly fish wheel specifications and delisting criteria for Yukon River king and fall chum salmon stocks of concern, establishing the first codified recovery plans despite concerns about treaty complications and duplicative regulations.
by Alaska News3mo ago5 min readAI
Too many young fish shut Sand Point's seiners out of the Shumagins
Fish and Game closed the Shumagin Islands to seine gear after test fisheries found immature salmon far above the closure threshold, amid a legal challenge to Area M's new rules.
by Bill AlaskaNews1mo ago1 min readAI
Copper River Kings Hit a Record Low — and Limits Drop
With Copper River king salmon at their lowest recorded count, Alaska's ADF&G is cutting the Upper Copper sport limit from four fish to one through Aug. 10 to protect spawning runs.
by Bill AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min readAI
New sport fishing rules clarify handling of rockfish, salmon, lingcod
Alaska Board of Fisheries adopted new sport fishing regulations requiring anglers to keep rockfish, lingcod and king salmon identifiable and measurable until leaving the water, effective for the 2026 season.
by Alaska Newsadded 3mo ago2 min readAIKotzebue Sound fishing ban near airport runway takes effect with July 10 commercial opening
The Alaska Board of Fisheries permanently closed a stretch of Kotzebue Sound near the airport runway in November 2025, and the July 10 commercial salmon opening was the first season under that rule; the closure bars both commercial and subsistence fishing from the Weather Service Dome to the NANA building, one mile offshore.
by Bill AlaskaNewsadded 3w ago1 min readAI
Board Chair Survives Ethics Challenge Over Village Corporation Ties
The Alaska Board of Fisheries voted 6-0 that Chair Marit Carlson-Van Dort has no conflict of interest despite her role as CEO of Far West Inc., a Chignik Bay village corporation that took a position on Area M fisheries in 2018.
by Alaska Newsadded 3mo ago3 min readAI
Board of Fisheries Opens Statewide Meeting With Stock Concern Action Plans
The Alaska Board of Fisheries convened its statewide finfish and supplemental issues meeting on March 17, 2026, beginning with introductions, ethics disclosures, and presentations on action plans for Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim stocks of management concern.
by Alaska Newsadded 3mo ago6 min readAI
Senate panel hears setnet cooperative bill, sets aside land transfer
The Senate Resources Committee heard House Bill 117, which would allow commercial setnet fishermen to continue operating cooperatively, and Senate Bill 255, which would transfer state land to the Mat-Su Borough without surveys.
by Alaska Newsadded 3mo ago7 min readAI
Senate panel advances fishing cooperative bill with electronic monitoring
The Senate Resources Committee unanimously advanced House Bill 117, which legalizes set gillnet fishing cooperatives and adds electronic monitoring authority for trawl vessels, after adopting two amendments including a five-permit cap.
by Alaska News3mo ago3 min readAI
Board of Fish Nominees Face Questions on Public Process Erosion
Three Board of Fisheries nominees pledged commitment to transparent public process during legislative questioning focused on recent out-of-cycle decisions that changed Cook Inlet gear types despite overwhelming public opposition.
by Alaska News3mo ago3 min readAIState seeks public comment on Yukon River salmon fishing rules by April 30
The Alaska Board of Fisheries is seeking public comment by April 30 on adding traditional knowledge to Yukon River salmon management regulations.
by Alaska News4mo ago1 min readAIBoard Restricts Fishing Gear to Protect Chinook in Chignik, Area M
The Alaska Board of Fisheries approved multiple gear restrictions to conserve Chinook salmon stocks in the Chignik Management Area and South Alaska Peninsula, including reduced seine net depth and area closures.
by Alaska Newsadded 3mo ago4 min readAI
NOAA Fisheries declined to list Gulf of Alaska Chinook under the ESA
NOAA Fisheries determined Gulf of Alaska Chinook salmon do not qualify for listing under the Endangered Species Act in a May 2026 12-month finding
by Bill AlaskaNews1mo ago2 min readAI
Board of Fish Defers Trawl Gear Restrictions, Opts for Federal Coordination
The Alaska Board of Fisheries voted 7-0 to take no action on four trawl-related proposals, instead choosing to work with federal fishery managers through a Joint Protocol Committee to address habitat and bycatch concerns.
by Alaska Newsadded 3mo ago3 min readAI
Senate panel advances fishing co-op bill with electronic monitoring
The Senate Resources Committee unanimously advanced House Bill 117, which legalizes set gillnet fishing cooperatives and adds electronic monitoring authority for trawl vessels, after adopting two amendments including a five-permit cap.
by Alaska News3mo ago3 min readAI