King Salmon Catch Prohibited on Ayakulik and Karluk

Brianna Gibbs/KMXT

Anglers along the Ayakulik and Karluk Rivers won’t be able to take home a prized king salmon for the foreseeable future. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game on Friday issued an emergency order closure for those rivers, which went into effect on Saturday.
A press release from fish and game said the closures come as biological escapement goals for those rivers are way below seasonal goals, and likely won’t be achieved.
The escapement goal for the Ayakulik is 4,000 to 7,000 fish, but as of June 17 only 350 fish had made it up to the weir. On the Karluk, escapement goals are 3,000 to 6,000 fish, but only 256 fish had made it to the weir by June 17.
As an added precaution to protect Chinook in those rivers, fish and game also prohibited bait use on those rivers. Only single-hook artificial lures are allowed in those areas.