Sockeye salmon safe for Saturday

Aug. 10, 2007

By John R. Moses

Frontiersman

MAT-SU - Sport fishers planning a big outing this weekend take heed - sockeye (red) salmon are off limits as of Saturday due to heavy fishing of the Upper Cook Inlet and low numbers of returning salmon in the Yetna River.

It's an &#8220I told you so” sport fishing interests in the Mat-Su Valley didn't want to have to say because it means potential damage to the local sport fishing industry.

A small reduction in fishing boundaries imposed for 12 hours in early August amounts to no action at all, said Bruce Knowles of the Mat-Su Borough's Mayor's Blue Ribbon Sportsmen's Commission. Now the region has &#8220a lack of fish” caused by &#8220overfishing by the commercial fishermen.”

Knowles studied an online map of the Upper Cook Inlet the state sent out with a recent closure notice and said the area still open to fishing was so large as to make no difference to the Mat-Su Valley.

There is no ban on harvesting on coho (silver) salmon - yet. Knowles was recently on the Deshka River, where he said fish are moving up fast and in small numbers.

&#8220I would venture to say they might do the same with coho if coho numbers don't come up,” Knowles said.

Sockeye salmon escapement for the Susitna River drainage, which is measured at the weir by the Yentna River sonar project, is about 60,613 through Aug. 6, the state reports. The Yentna River accounts for about half of the area's returning sockeye salmon population, and its numbers usually mirror the Susitna River's.

&#8220On average, approximately 95 percent of the escapement has passed the sonar by Aug. 6. At this time the total sockeye salmon escapement is projected to be approximately 63,573 fish, well below the escapement goal range of 90,000 to 160,000 fish,” a state-issued press release says. &#8220Therefore, it is warranted to prohibit the retention of sockeye salmon while sport fishing in Susitna River drainages.”

Among the affected areas are Larson Creek in the Talkeetna River drainage, the Talachulitna River and Hewitt, Lake and Shell creeks.

The state's announcement does not wash with some professional fishing guides.

&#8220It's absurd management,” said Robert Meals of Talkeetna's Tri-River Charters of the state's closure order. The escapement goals have not been met for years at a time. &#8220You can get caught with your pants down once in a while, but this is the third year.”

Reds have been the main fish Tri-River clients have been catching, he said, adding that 28,000 have crossed the weir at Larson Creek, where his boats have been heading. &#8220That will not be available to us.”

Now the focus will be on a sparse population of silver salmon which have begun to arrive about two weeks later than usual.

There were no major state restrictions on gill nets in the central part of Cook Inlet in July and August, but there are plans for a meeting after the fishing season so Mat-Su Borough officials can talk with state wildlife managers about salmon management policies.

The Borough's manager last month sought a meeting with Gov. Sarah Palin and wildlife managers about commercial fleets this year that the Borough claims took many fish needed in Mat-Su rivers and creeks for sport and subsistence fishing.

Cora Crome, the governor's advisor on fishing issues, said it has been decided that the best time to discuss state policies on the issue is after salmon migration season when the Department of Fish and Game will have numbers reflecting the 2007 fish populations.

An expanded meeting on the issue takes place in February 2008 when a state board convenes to discuss management practices.

&#8220Allocation and management will all be discussed by the Board of Fish this winter,” Crome said, adding several plans will go before that board.

Another important state meeting will happen in October when the fish board and the game board have a combined meeting, Knowles said.

The state biologist in charge of managing Upper Cook Inlet waters said Monday that the salmon run is nearly over and the state stands by its salmon management decisions.

The Borough's concerns about the need for net restrictions, as stated in a July 27 press release, were not acted upon by state fishery managers.

&#8220Things they ask for, we don't pay much attention to. We do what we think is right,” said biologist Jeff Fox of the Alaska Division of Commercial Fisheries.

Contact John R. Moses at 352-2270, or e-mail john.moses@frontiersman.com.

BREAKOUT:

Alaska's official online fishing outlook is a mixed bag. As of July 31, it reports:

€ Silver fishing at the Deshka River has been fair; however, anglers recently reported many silver salmon holding at the mouth. Rainy weather should produce terrific fishing conditions on this river.

€ Yentna River sloughs and tributaries are producing fair numbers of silvers. Lake Creek should provide fair to good fishing this week.

€ On the west side of Cook Inlet, silvers are entering the Chuit, Lewis and Theodore rivers. Once you take your limit of silver salmon in this area you must stop fishing for the day.

€ Fair numbers of silvers and chum salmon are being caught along the Parks Highway streams of Willow, Little Willow, Sheep, Goose, Caswell and Montana creeks.

€ Lots of chum and red salmon, and a few silvers, are showing up in the Talkeetna River drainage, with the mouth of Clear Creek your best bet.