Annual Kenai Classic Roundtable to focus on Alaska king salmon

The event will be held from noon to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 20, in the Soldotna Field House.

By Jacob Dye • August 11, 2025 1:30 am
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Joel Johnson, president of the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation; Carrie Hourman, lead sustainability director for Dow Climate & Circularity; and Susan Sherman, executive director of the Marine Debris Foundation, sit for a panel at the Kenai River Sportfishing Association’s Kenai Classic Roundtable at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska, on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Joel Johnson, president of the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation; Carrie Hourman, lead sustainability director for Dow Climate & Circularity; and Susan Sherman, executive director of the Marine Debris Foundation, sit for a panel at the Kenai River Sportfishing Association’s Kenai Classic Roundtable at the Soldotna Regional Sports Complex in Soldotna, Alaska, on Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

King salmon are the headlining issue of this year’s Kenai River Classic Roundtable, a series of panel discussions hosted annually by the Kenai River Sportfishing Association. The event will be held from noon to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 20, in the Soldotna Field House.

According to a release from the association, 18 Alaska king salmon stocks are designated stocks of concern due to record low returns. The Kenai River’s king salmon were added to that list in 2023. This year’s roundtable, the release says, “comes at a critical moment for the species.”

There are three panel discussions scheduled for the three hours of this year’s roundtable. The first, “Alaska King Salmon: Where We Are, How We Got Here and Where We’re Going” is said to give an overview of king salmon history, recent declines and “outlook for recovery.”

“Balancing the Scales: Alaska’s Private Nonprofit Hatcheries, Sportfishing and Wild Stocks” will tackle the interactions between Alaska’s fish hatcheries and wild salmon populations.

“Voices in Governance: From Capitol Hill to the Kenai Peninsula” will feature local leaders and lawmakers sharing perspectives on fisheries legislation and regulation.

Confirmed speakers, the release says, include U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan; U.S. Rep. Nick Begich III; State Department of Fish and Game Commissioner Doug Vincent-Lang; State Board of Fisheries Chair Märit Carlson-Van Dort; and Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor Peter Micciche.

“This isn’t just a conversation about the future of king salmon — it’s about taking responsible conservation actions now so future generations of Alaskans will be able to enjoy fishing for king salmon in our Kenai River,” says KRSA Executive Director Shannon Martin in the release. “By bringing science, policy and community voices together, we’re advancing practical, lasting conservation to protect one of Alaska’s most iconic species.”

The roundtable will be held at the field house and also will be streamed live on the KRSA YouTube channel. Archived recordings of previous Kenai River Classic Roundtables — like the 2024 session that tackled marine debris, marine mammals and Gulf of Alaska king salmon — can be found on the same page.

For more information, find “Kenai River Sportfishing Association” on Facebook.

Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.

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