2023 King salmon changes for Mat-Su and Upper Cook Inlet

Last week I reported on the low Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) forecast for the Deshka River Chinook (king) salmon return — 7, 243 king salmon in the 1.1 —1.4 age classes. The forecast calls for a lower total return than the spawning escapement goal range of 9.000 — 18,000 Deshka River king salmon. On Thursday of last week, ADF&G issued 8 announcements affecting king salmon fisheries in the Mat-Su Valley and throughout Upper Cook Inlet.

Emergency Order 2-KS-2-05-23 closes chinook salmon fishing (including catch & release) from May 1 — July 13 in all units of the Susitna River drainage except for the Yentna River drainage (Unit 4). The Yentna River drainage including Lake Creek will be open to catch & release king salmon. In addition only one single hook artificial lure may be used when fishing all waters of the Susitna River drainage from May 1 — July 13, 2023. You may read the emergency order on the ADF&G website: https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/Static-sf/EONR/PDFs/2023/R2/EO%202-KS-2-05-23%20Susitna%20Kings%20Closed;%20Yentna%20CR_TT.pdf

Emergency Order 2-KS-07-23 restricts Little Susitna River king salmon fishing from 6 a.m. on May 1 — July 13 to catch & release fishing only. It additionally restricts all Little Susitna River fishing below the Parks Highway bridge to one single hook artificial lure only during the same time period. You may read the emergency order here: https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/Static-sf/EONR/PDFs/2023/R2/EO%202-KS-2-07-23%20Little%20Su%20King%20CR%20%20Gear%20Restrictions_2023.pdf

Additional emergency orders close fishing for early run Kenai River king salmon from May 1 - June 30, close fishing for late-run Kenai River king salmon from July 1 - July 31, close all Upper Cook Inlet saltwaters north of Bluff Pint to king salmon sport fishing from May 15 - July 31, close all king salmon sport fishing in West Susitna drainage freshwaters from May 1 - June 30, close Anchor River and Deep Creek to all king salmon sport fishing from May 20 - July 15, restricted the Kasilof River king salmon daily bag limit to 2 hatchery marked king salmon, reduced fishing hours in the Kasilof River personal use gill net fishery to 6 hours daily June 15 —July 24, the Ninilchik River daily king salmon bag limit for fish over 20 inches in length was changed from one king salmon to two hatchery king salmon with gear restricted to one single hook, and the daily bag limit was reduced in Cook Inlet saltwater south of Bluff Point. For more specifics on the regulation changes for fisheries outside the Mat-Su Valley and listed in this paragraph the emergency orders can be viewed on the ADF&G website.

What Just Hit Us?

That is the most restrictive and most encompassing set of preseason emergency orders affecting Upper Cook Inlet king salmon sport fisheries I can ever recall seeing. For years ADF&G has been saying there is a saltwater production problem with our official state fish (king salmon). The problem is not getting better —and appears to be getting worse. It is a very large problem affecting king salmon returns throughout the entire state. Two large and well known man-made issues that may be negatively affecting king salmon statewide: bycatch in the pollock trawl fishery and competition with enormous numbers of hatchery salmon released into the ocean on an annual basis. If one or both of these issues are having a large negative effect on our statewide king salmon production, we may not see a return to better king salmon production until one or both of these issues are addressed— and in a significant way.

Fish On!

Andy Couch has been guiding Mat-Su Valley king salmon fishing trips every year since the early 1980’s, and wonders if issues with fishery management may be causing the significant decline. Contact him at (907) 746-2199 or

fishing@fish4salmon.com.