ANCHORAGE, Alaska — The Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced Thursday that it will be closing the Kenai River to early-run king salmon fishing, and will close the Kasilof River for naturally-produced kings.
The department says the early run in the Kenai is currently the lowest on record. It says only an estimated 739 king salmon have passed through the Kenai River sonar station, well below the historical average of 3,114 by June 2.
The department says that closures on the Kenai River will result in increased fishing activity on the Kasilof River, which it says also is shaping up for a lower-than-usual run. Fish and Game is prohibiting retention of naturally-produced king salmon on the Kasilof River.
Fishermen on the Kasilof River will only be allowed to keep hatchery-reared king salmon. Hatchery-reared king salmon will have a healed adipose fin-clip scar. Naturally-produced kings will have adipose fins intact.
