Se Alaska King Salmon Season In For Tough Times

This emergency order rescinds Emergency Order 1-KS-R-02-12, issued March 29, 2012, and establishes resident and nonresident king salmon bag and possession limits and nonresident harvest limits for Southeast Alaska king salmon sport fishery. The Southeast Alaska King Salmon Management Plan stipulates the king salmon sport fish bag and possession limits and any other management measures will be based upon the preseason king salmon abundance index as determined by the Chinook Technical Committee of the Pacific Salmon Commission. The abundance index for the 2013 season is 1.20, which, according to the plan, requires that the bag limit will be one king salmon 28 inches or greater in length. The nonresident harvest limit will be three king salmon 28 inches in length from January 1 through June 30; two king salmon 28 inches or greater in length from July 1 through July 15; and one king salmon 28 inches or greater in length July 16 through December 31. In addition a resident may use two rods from October through March. Emergency Order 1-KS-R-02-12 is rescinded, and consistent with stipulations within 5 AAC 47.055 Southeast Alaska King Salmon Management Plan, the provisions of 5 AAC 47.020 (20) are added by this emergency order. Under this emergency order, the following provisions are effective from 12:01 A.M. Monday April 8, 2013 through 11:59 P.M. Wednesday, April 30, 2014: (A) The bag and possession limit is one king salmon 28 inches or greater in length daily. (B) From January 1 through June 30, a nonresident’s harvest limit is three king salmon 28 inches or greater in length. (C) From July 1 through July 15, a nonresident’s harvest limit is two king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length, and any king salmon harvested by the nonresident from January 1 through June 30 will apply toward the two fish harvest limit. (D) From July 16 through December 31, a nonresident’s harvest limit is one king salmon 28 inches or greater in length, and any king salmon harvested by the nonresident from January 1 through July 15 will apply toward the one fish harvest limit. (E) Immediately upon landing and retaining a king salmon nonresidents must enter the species, date and location, in ink, on the back of their sport fishing license or harvest record. (F) From October through March; a resident sport fish angler may use two rods when fishing for king salmon; a resident using two rods may only retain king salmon.