The Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Sport Fish division on Tuesday announced several changes to area fishing regulations in lower Cook Inlet after the Alaska Board of Fisheries met in Homer this month.
The regulations add a day of fishing and increase the limit of kings on the Anchor River and discontinue the practice of "tight-lining" in the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon among others.
According to the release, the Board:
* Added Wednesday as an additional day anglers can target king salmon on the Anchor River. The river will be open to fishing for five weekends, Saturday through Monday, and the Wednesday following those weekends, starting Saturday, May 17 and ending Wednesday, June 25.
* Reduced the area closed from April 1 to June 30 in the marine waters at the mouth of the Anchor River from two miles north and south from the river (4 miles) and 1 mile from shore to 1 mile north and south of the river (2 miles) and 1 mile from shore.
* Raised the annual limit of king salmon that may be taken from the Anchor River to five per year in combination with most other Cook Inlet tributaries.
* Opened the Ninilchik River hatchery king salmon on July 1.
* Made it illegal to fish at the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon with weights or bobbers beyond the hook or hooks. The hook or hooks must now be the last piece of tackle on the line.
* Closed to sport fishing the waters within 100 yards of salmon net pens in Tutka Bay Lagoon. This new sockeye salmon run will be the source for commercial fishery stocking projects elsewhere in Kachemak Bay, including China Poot Bay, where surplus fish are harvested in sport and personal use fisheries.
* Established a subsistence fishery for shellfish except for crabs and shrimp in Kachemak Bay from Jakolof Bay west and south to Rocky Bay. As in any subsistence fishery, the fishery will be open only to Alaska residents. A free permit will be required to harvest clams, including littleneck and butter clams, but no sport fishing license will be needed. The daily bag, possession and size limits will be 1,000 littleneck clams one and one-half inches or larger and 750 butter clams two and one-half inches or larger. The area is already open to sport and personal use clamming with a sport fishing license. No permit will be required of sport and personal use harvesters.
For more information on these changes, visit the fish and game Web site at www.adfg.state.ak.us.
Ben Stuart can be reached at ben.stuart@homernews.com.
