King salmon restrictions for little gain?

On Wednesday, June 30, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game issued two emergency orders that will close or restrict sport king salmon fishing in perhaps an overly severe manner, that may result in little positive gain, and may, in some cases, even further negatively impact king salmon spawning numbers while increasing crowding on an already crowded fishery.

One emergency order entirely closes to sport king salmon fishing the entire Little Susitna River and all eastern-bank tributary streams of the Susitna RIver from Willow Creek north to, but not including, the Talkeetna RIver drainage.

The second emergency order reduces the annual harvest limit for king salmon on the Talkeetna River and Chulitna River drainages from five king salmon to one king salmon.

For the second consecutive year, Fish and Game has issued an emergency order closing the Saturday-Sunday-Monday fishery on the east-side Parks HIghway tributary streams of the Susitna RIver and the entire seven-day-per-week Little Susitna River fishery.

Few would argue with the concept of restrictions or closures necessary to meet king salmon spawning numbers needed to maintain or increase extremely valuable Mat-Su Valley king salmon returns in future years.

However, Fish and Game is charged with managing for maximum benefit. In this concept, FIsh and Game should be looking for as many ways as possible to maintain economic and recreational benefits for the king salmon fisheries, while still meeting escapement levels.

For example, in Fish and Game’s justification for entirely closing the Little Susitna River to king salmon fishing, the department lists marginally sufficient current escapement numbers to the Little Su, combined with the pending closure of the east-side tributaries of the Susitna River that would likely increase king salmon angling pressure and harvest on the Little Su.

That is sound justification for a restriction to the Little Su king salmon fishery, but not for a total closure.

For example, some type of step-down restriction could still provide a reduced-harvest fishery — even with added angling pressure, while also boosting escapement numbers. FIshing area or daily hours could and should be reduced first, as a step-down measure.

Questionable impacts of a one king salmon annual limit

The Mat-Su tourism industry, through the Mat-Su Convention & Visitors Bureau, has been diligently working for years to increase the length of stay visitors spend in the Mat-Su Valley as a primary objective for increasing the economic impact of the tourism industry.

How many of those visitors who have planned ahead, made lodging reservations, and spent the money for a multi-day king salmon fishing vacation are going to want a refund if the annual king salmon limit is suddenly reduced to one fish?

How many of those same visitors will want to return in future years, after such a “surprise” change to their trip? How many Alaska and Mat-Su residents who have invested heavily in equipment, gear and time for the king salmon fishing will be severely impacted, so that the opportunity for the one-day-a-year angler may be maintained without change?

In a crowded fishery like the Talkeetna River king salmon fishery near Clear Creek, one should at least ask if any increased king salmon escapement will really be achieved, and if such a regulation may only increase crowding.

As one Talkeetna area charter operator mentioned to me, “Now most of my trips may last the full charter length, with my guests catching and releasing many times more fish than if they had to quit fishing after a daily harvest limit of one fish. In addition, if a guest severely injures a king salmon after already harvesting their king on a previous day, our only alternative will be to release a soon-to-be-dead king salmon, and current regulations allow that practice to continue all day long.”

Bottom line: How many years of poor king salmon returns will it take before Fish and Game managers are willing to develop a thoughtful and thorough step-down management plan for the Mat-Su Valley’s extremely valuable sport king salmon fisheries — a plan that lets the public know what regulations and possible changes to expect on a yearly basis.

Fish and Game is scheduled to discuss Mat-Su king salmon fisheries at the July 8th Mat-Su Anglers Club Meeting, at 7 p.m. Contact Julie Busch for more information, at 892-7543.

Kids casting clinics scheduled

The Mat-Su Anglers will be hosting casting clinics on July 12th and 19th for kids ages 8-14, for the first 14 kids to sign up for each session. The sessions will run from 1 to 4 p.m. Kids learn first aid, fishing safety, basic angling, casting, equipment basics, aquatic safety, conservation through classroom instruction and casting games like backyard bass and casting golf. Contact Julie Busch at 892-7543.

E-mail this column at sports@frontiersman.com if you have Mat-Su fishing questions or information readers may find useful.

Andy Couch owns and operates Fishtale River Guides, www.fish4salmon.com. He is a Mat-Su Anglers Club member, www.matsuanglers.org, and a member of the Matanuska - Susitna Mayor’s Blue Ribbon Sportsmen’s Committee.