(Glennallen) - The Chitina Subdistrict personal use dip net salmon fishery will open for a 72-hour period, and retention of king salmon is prohibited for the remainder of the season:

• CLOSED: 12:01 a.m. Monday, June 29 - 11:59 p.m. Thursday, July 2
• OPEN: 12:01 a.m. Friday, July 3 - 11:59 p.m. Sunday, July 5
• King salmon may not be retained.

The Chitina Subdistrict personal use dip net salmon fishery is managed under the Copper River Personal Use Dip Net Salmon Fishery Management Plan (5 AAC 77.591). The plan establishes the season from June 10 through September 30 and directs the department to establish fishing periods based on Miles Lake sonar counts.

Total salmon passage past Miles Lake sonar this season is below the objective. As of June 21, a total of 257,451 salmon have been counted past Miles Lake sonar, compared to the preseason projection of 338,285 salmon for this date, making total salmon passage past Miles Lake sonar about 81,000 salmon less than the target management objective range. During June 15–21, there were 62,157 salmon counted past the Miles Lake sonar, which is 11,242 salmon fewer than the preseason projection for this period. Copper River sockeye salmon migratory timing, and the previous three-year average harvest and participation rates, indicate sufficient numbers of salmon to allow up to 96 hours of fishing time during the week of June 29 – July 5. However, due to low overall salmon passage and concerns that the sockeye salmon escapement goal may not be achieved, additional conservation measures are needed (see Figure 1 below). Therefore, an additional reduction in the fishing time is warranted to help reduce the passage deficit and achieve spawning escapement. As a result, the Chitina Subdistrict personal use dip net fishery will be open for 72 hours during the week of June 29 – July 5.

The Copper River King Salmon Fishery Management Plan (5 AAC 24.361) directs the department to manage the Copper River fisheries to achieve a sustainable escapement goal of 21,000–31,000 king salmon. The 2026 king salmon run to the Copper River appears to be weak. As of June 20, a total of 15,243 large king salmon have been counted past the Miles Lake sonar. This is the lowest, large king salmon cumulative count on record for this date since species apportionment at the sonar project began in 2019. The Native Village of Eyak (NVE) fish wheel capture rates at Baird Canyon and fish wheel recapture rates at Canyon Creek also indicate low abundance. Closing king salmon to retention in the personal use fishery is required to help ensure the spawning escapement goal is achieved.

As a reminder, the Copper River Personal Use Dip Net Salmon Fishery Management Plan and the Statewide Personal Use Fishing Regulations state that:

• The annual limit is 25 salmon for the head of household and 10 salmon for each dependent of the permit holder.
• King salmon cannot be kept. All king salmon caught must be released immediately and returned to the water unharmed.
• Steelhead cannot be kept and must be released immediately and returned to the water unharmed.
• You must record your harvest on the permit immediately.
• Personal use fishers must possess both their Chitina Personal Use Salmon Fishery Permit and a valid resident sport fishing license when fishing.
• Both tips of the tail fin of personal use caught fish must be clipped immediately upon landing a fish. Immediately is defined as before concealing the salmon from plain view or transporting the salmon from the fishing site. Fishing site means the location where the fish was removed from the water and became part of the permit holder’s bag limit.

All Alaska residents qualify to participate in this personal use fishery. You must have a Chitina Personal Use Salmon Fishery Permit and a resident Alaska sport fishing license when dipnetting. Both dip net permits and fishing licenses can be obtained online at ADF&G Online Store. A $15 fee is charged for the Chitina Personal Use Salmon Fishery Permit. Revenue from the fee supports the sanitation services at the fishery and trail maintenance from O’Brien Creek to Haley Creek.

The department urges dipnetters to respect the rights of private landowners in the area and familiarize themselves with the land ownership in the area before fishing. For information on access across private lands, contact Chitina Native Corporation at (907) 823-2223, (O'Brien Creek Permit Program) or Ahtna, Inc Land Use Permits at (907) 822-3476.

Additionally, the department urges dipnetters to adhere to signs and detours constructed along the O’Brien Creek to Haley Creek section of Copper River Highway Right of Way (ROW). The detours were constructed in 2024 to avoid disturbing cultural sites within and along the ROW. Any violation or disturbance to protected cultural sites will result in the immediate closure of this access road. For more information, visit the Alaska Department of Transportation describing the changes to the access route.

Information regarding the fishery can be found at the ADF&G website. This site provides information regarding the Upper Copper River fisheries, including: fishery descriptions and summaries, maps of the subdistricts, a list of vendors that issue permits, and links to the sonar numbers and fishing schedule emergency orders.

The current fishing schedule is announced on the Chitina Fishery information line at (907) 822-5224. Please contact the information phone line prior to planning your trip to Chitina to ensure that the fishery will be open when you arrive. If you have any questions regarding the Chitina Subdistrict personal use dipnet salmon fishery, please contact the ADF&G office in Glennallen at (907) 822-3309.

Figure 1 - This season’s total salmon passage (red line) past Miles Lake sonar compared to the target management objective range (gray shaded area).

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