Unsustainable ADF&G management trainwrecks Little Su coho fishery — times 3!

For the third time in three years, two of the largest Mat-Su Valley sport coho salmon fisheries have been severely restricted by inseason emergency regulations — with a continually growing threat of season-ending coho salmon closures at both Little Susitna River and Deshka River for the third consecutive year.

On Wednesday, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game issued the emergency orders that reduced the daily bag limit to one coho salmon per angler, and in addition prohibit the use of bait in each of the two fisheries. At Little Susitna River the daily limit was reduced by 50% (from two coho to one), while at Deshka River the limit was reduced by approximately 67% (from three coho to one). The department regularly figures that taking bait out of a coho or king salmon fishery can further reduce sport catch rates by approximately 50%. The announced restrictions are posted on ADF&G’s website.

With extra large returns of sockeye salmon to the Kasilof River and Kenai River during the 2025 season, and with set netters along the Kenai Peninsula coastline (who have in the past taken approximately 50% of the Kasilof and Kenai sockeye harvest) severely restricted in efforts to conserve Stock of Management Concern late-run Kenai River king salmon, ADF&G attempted to harvest a large portion of the surplus Kasilof and Kenai sockeye with the offshore drift gillnet fishery in Upper Cook Inlet’s Central District. In addition a substantial amount of Upper Cook Inlet salmon were also harvested in the federally managed EEZ Fishery also located offshore in the Central District south of Kalgin Island.

Through August 11, ADF&G was reporting over 402,000 salmon harvested in the federal managed fishery drift gillnet fishery and over 3,319,000 salmon harvested in the state managed drift gillnet fishery. While most of the drift gillnet harvest was sockeye salmon, 13,360 were coho in the federal managed fishery and 73,527 were coho salmon in the state managed fishery. Genetic sampling in the past has demonstrated that up to 90% of the coho taken in July / early August may be bound for Northern Cook Inlet Management Area streams including Little Susitna River, Deshka River, and many others. However, of the total 112,752 Upper Cook Inlet commercial coho harvest through August 11 — only 17,972 were harvested in the Northern District set net fishery while 94,780 (over 84%) were harvested in the Central District.

The total commercial coho harvest of 112,752 could normally indicate a substantial return of coho salmon to Upper Cook Inlet, but remember most of those fish were harvested in the drift gillnet fishery — which was granted considerably more harvest days and hours than would occur with more average-sized sockeye returns to the Kasilof and Kenai Rivers. So large early drift gillnet harvest harvests appear to have taken a significantly larger than average portion of the available coho.

In the Northern District ADF&G may restrict the number and length of commercial set gillnets each commercial permit holder is allowed to use between the dates on July 20 — August 6. Past history indicates that allowing any more than 1 net per

Northern permit holder, during this time period, usually harvests some northern Cook Inlet salmon stock at an unsustainable rate, that must be made up for with later season restrictions or closures. However, even though Northern coho salmon stocks may have been harvested at a considerably higher rate in the 2025 Central District drift gillnet fisheries, ADF&G allowed 2 set gillnet throughout the entire July 20 - August 6 period — undoubtedly contributing to lower coho counts at both Little Susitna River and Deshka River (ADF&G’s primary in season coho salmon abundance indicating streams for the entire Northern Cook Inlet Management Area).

To better count Little Susitna coho salmon throughout the entire run and in a effort to avoid large stream flows compromising inseason weir counts, ADF&G moved the Little Susitna River weir project 7 miles upriver during the 2025 season. This move may have to some unknown factor delayed coho migration past the weir — however — with only 1,039 of the Little Susitna River’s 9,200 - 17,700 coho salmon sustainable escapement goal (SEG) upstream of the weir on August 5, ADF&G allowed the sport fishery to use bait as provided in standard sport fishing regulation. The use of bait often increases coho harvests by over 50% in this particular fishery according to past Area Management Biologist, Sam Ivey.

Historical Little Susitna River Coho Run Timing When I was working for ADF&G as a summer fisheries technician during the1980s, the department maintained that the midpoint of the Little Susitna River coho salmon return through the weir was somewhere between August 6 — 13. The cumulative 2025 Little Susitna River coho salmon count through weir was 2,576 fish through August 12 — indicating that the SEG may be in serious jeopardy of NOT being attained again in 2025. This is not a new problem, and the State of Alaska Constitution stipulates in Article 8 Section 4. Sustained Yield Fish, Forests, Grasslands, and all other replenish able resources belonging to the State shall be utilized, developed, and maintained on the sustained yield principle, subject to preferences among beneficial uses. Therefore, since ADF&G weir counts indicate that the Little Susitna River coho salmon SEG has not been meet for the past two years, appears in great jeopardy again this year, and most of the over harvest of Northern Cook Inlet coho salmon stocks appears to be occurring in the commercial fisheries, I would suggest that it is long past time that ADF&G submit an agenda change request by August 29 to address this chronic issue on a more permanent and conservative management basis. Chronically jeopardizing or failing to attain the two most important Upper Cook Inlet coho salmon sustainable escapement goals is unacceptable. If either or both of these goals is missed in 2025 and again in 2026 it should automatically qualify that coho salmon stock(s) as a Stock of Management Concern.

Mat-Su Coho Salmon Weir Counts through Tuesday August 12, 2025 are: Deshka River — 347 coho Sustainable Escapement Goal (SEG) 10,200 — 24,100; Little Susitna River — 2,576 coho SEG 9,200 — 17,700; Fish Creek — 1,455 coho SEG 1,200 — 4,400; Jim Creek —1,165 coho' No weir based SEG.

2025 ADF&G Sockeye Weir Counts: Chelatna Lake — 52,928 (Aug 11); Larson Lake — 26,009 (Aug 11); Judd Lake — Not Funded for 2025; Fish Creek — 40,468; Jim Creek — 1,693; Little Susitna River — 557.

Additional Mat-Su Opportunities

Parks Highway Coho When I spoke with Mike Hudson with 3 Rivers Fly and Tackle in Wasilla this week, he mentioned hearing several reports of good coho salmon fishing in the Susitna River tributary streams crossed by the Parks Highway north of Willow. Samantha Oslund with ADF&G also echoed those same sentiments.

Increased bag limit at Fish Creek — 2 Days Remaining

On August 6, ADF&G announced a six-salmon bag limit at Fish Creek, only two of which may be coho salmon. That increased bag limit will expire and return to the normal daily bag limit of three salmon only two of which may be coho salmon after Fish Creek fishing closes for the day at 10 p.m. on Saturday August 16, 2025.

Increased Sockeye Salmon Bag Limit at Larson Creek ADF&G announced that the sockeye salmon daily bag limit at Larson Creek in the Talkeetna River drainage will increase to 6 per day starting August 13. For more information see the emergency order on the ADF&G website.

Youth Day at Eklutna Tailrace

As mentioned in my last two fishing columns Saturday August 16 from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. will be a youth fishing day at Eklutna Tailrace with the water between the pedestrian bridge and the Knik River confluence reserved for youth under the age of 16 years only. Adults may provide transportation and asset youth, but fishing in this portion of the tailrace will be reserved for the youth fishing only for these 12 hours on August 16. The remaining tailrace waters and Knik River waters will remain open to all anglers. Note: fishing (and catching) for both coho and sockeye salmon has been good at this location and further down the Knik River recently.

Good Luck and Fish On!

Andy Couch guides Mat-Su salmon fishing charters https://fish4salmon.com/ , is a member of the Matanuska Valley Fish & Game Advisory Committee, and the Matanuska-Susitna Borough Fish and Wildlife Commission, however, statements / opinions in this column are his own, unless expressed otherwise.