Fish and game issues additional restrictions to Little Susitna king salmon fishing

PALMER — The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has taken additional steps to protect the Little Susitna River king salmon run. The department will close the river to king salmon fishing Saturday, aside from a pair of three-day stretches in July.

This comes after a preseason order that restricted the annual king limit on the fishery to just two salmon over 20 inches. The goal, according to a press release issued by the department, was to reduce the 2017 harvest by around 20 percent. But recent data indicates the number of fish, 622, that have passed through the Little Su weir is much smaller than projected.

“The run appears to be holding in the lower 30 miles of river and is susceptible to harvest,” department officials said in the release. “At this time, it is prudent to restrict harvest until the run can be more full accessed by weir.”

The department’s escapement goal for the Little Su is 2,100-4,300 kings.

The department will open the Little Su to king salmon fishing July 1-3 and July 8-10, and continue to monitor the run, according to the release.