The Chitina Subdistrict personal use dip net salmon fishery will remain open through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, July 20.
The Chitina Subdistrict personal use dipnet salmon fishery is managed under direction of the Copper River Personal Use Dip Net Salmon Fishery Management Plan (5 AAC 77.591). The plan establishes the season from June 10 through September 30 and directs the department to establish fishing periods based on Miles Lake sonar counts.
During June 30–July 6, there were 114,098 salmon counted past the Miles Lake sonar. The preseason projection for this period was 59,101 salmon, which results in a surplus of 54,997 salmon. Copper River sockeye salmon migratory timing and the previous three-year average harvest and participation rates indicate sufficient numbers of salmon available to allow 168 hours of fishing time during the week of July 14–20, an increase of 72 hours from the preseason schedule.
As a reminder, the Copper River Personal Use Dip Net Salmon Fishery Management Plan and the Statewide Personal Use Fishing Regulations state that:
The annual limit is 25 salmon for the head of household and 10 salmon for each dependent of the permit holder.
King salmon cannot be kept. All king salmon caught must be released immediately and returned to the water unharmed.
Personal use fishers must possess both their Chitina Personal Use Salmon Fishery Permit and a valid resident sport fishing license when fishing.
Steelhead cannot be kept and must be released immediately and returned to the water unharmed.
You must record your harvest on the permit immediately.
Both tips of the tail fin of personal use caught fish must be clipped immediately upon landing a fish. Immediately is defined as before concealing the salmon from plain view or transporting the salmon from the fishing site. Fishing site means the location where the fish was removed from the water and became part of the permit holder’s bag limit.
