KMXT 100.1 FM Public Radio in Kodiak, Alaska
Karluk Lake and River. (Photo by Lisa Hupp / USFWS)
Kayla Desroches/KMXT
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game released its pre-season regulations for some sport fishing this summer.
They issued emergency orders closing Monashka Creek, Monashka Bay, and the Karluk River to fishing for king salmon and limiting Ayakulik River to catch and release for kings.
Area Management Biologist Tyler Polum says the Karluk and Ayakulik are wild runs and a satellite hatchery for king salmon operates on Monashka Creek.
“The primary intention of Monashaka Creek is not for sport fishing. It’s to provide sport fishing opportunity in other locations.”
He says in the late 90s and early 2000s, ADF & G staff wanted to expand the number of locations open for king salmon sport fishing.
“The whole point of it just to provide king salmon for folks to catch on the road system. King salmon, you can catch them in the salt water year round, but the idea was to make it road accessible so that you don’t have to have a boat, you don’t have to all this equipment to go catch them. You can just go drive out the road and go fish the Olds or the American, or wherever.”
Poor runs and returns have since restricted sport fishing at Monashka, Karluk, and Ayakulik.
However, Polum says at any given time, ADF & G can issue an emergency order to allow king salmon angling if the stock improves.
The current emergency orders take effect June 01.
