Anchorage, North Gulf Coast, Prince William Sound Sport Fishing Report 2019
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King salmon fishing in Ship Creek was good this season. 891 king salmon were collected in the William Jack Hernandez Sport Fish Hatchery raceway. An estimated 497 king salmon were counted in the creek below the hatchery. The hatchery was able to meet the broodstock goal of 460 king salmon.
No management actions were implemented during the 2019 sport fishery season.
Anglers reported good sockeye salmon fishing in Resurrection Bay. On June 11, 2019, over 11,538 sockeye salmon had passed through the Bear Creek weir, with large numbers of sockeye salmon still entering the river. Bear Lake sockeye salmon have a Sustainable Escapement Goal (SEG) of 700-8,300 fish and is managed to escape 5,152–12,752 sockeye salmon, which meets both the SEG and the Trail Lakes Hatchery broodstock requirements. The final escapement was approximately 12,779 sockeye salmon.
On June 14, 2019, the sockeye salmon limits were increased to twelve fish per day and in possession in the marine waters of Resurrection Bay north of a line from Caines Head to the north point of Thumb Cove. The sockeye salmon limits were increased to six fish per day and in possession in the freshwaters open to sockeye salmon. In addition, a section of the Resurrection River freshwaters opened early.
Salmon fishing in the Coghill River was reported as fair this season. On July 26, 2019, over 29,382 sockeye salmon had passed through the Coghill River weir. The sockeye salmon escapement goal range for the Coghill River is 20,000-60,000 fish.
No management actions were implemented during the 2019 sport fishery season.
Coho salmon fishing in Ship Creek this season was reported as good. The William Jack Hernandez Sport Fish Hatchery collected 508 coho salmon for broodstock. Additionally, 363 coho salmon were counted by foot survey immediately in the creek below the hatchery.
No management actions were implemented during the 2019 sport fishery season.
Coho salmon fishing in Resurrection Bay was hit or miss this season. Anglers fishing from a boat were having better success then shore based anglers. The Bear Creek coho salmon stock is currently on track to provide adequate broodstock. Coho salmon egg takes, and escapement surveys will be conducted in early October.
No management actions were implemented during the 2019 sport fishery season.
Coho salmon fishing has been fair in Whittier. Fleming Spit did not have fish returning this year because stocking did not take place due to a low broodstock year in 2016. Coho salmon fishing in Valdez has been reported by anglers as fair to good. It is too early to determine if broodstock goals have been met by the Valdez Fisheries Development Association and Prince William Sound Aquaculture Corporation hatcheries (PWSAC). Both locations are stocked by PWSAC and are terminal harvest areas. No formal surveys are conducted for coho salmon in Prince William Sound.
To date, no management actions have been implemented during the 2019 sport fishery season.
Salmon fishing on the Copper River Delta has been poor. This season the water levels have been low, and the Delta has been experiencing unusually dry conditions. Ibeck Creek had a fish stranding where 1,500-2,000 fish died or were harvested by federal subsistence anglers. Based on aerial surveys, as of September 29, 2019, the Copper River Delta coho salmon return is anticipated to be below the SEG of 32,000-67,000 fish. The coho salmon return is still being assessed.
On September 18, 2019, the use of bait was prohibited in all Cooper River Highway streams.
On September 25, 2019, coho salmon limits were reduced to one fish per day and two in possession in the Copper River Highway streams.
The Total Allowable Harvest (TAH= 170,189 pounds) was established from the results of the fall 2018 Prince William Sound shrimp survey. The Guideline Harvest Level (GHL) for the noncommercial (sport and subsistence) shrimp fishery harvest was established to be 102,100 pounds. This was very similar to the TAH and GHL established for the 2018 season. Approximately 4,274 noncommercial permits were issued in 2019. Effort and harvest is assessed post-season after harvest reports are received. Anecdotal reports from anglers indicate that shrimping was good this season.
A preseason emergency order effective April 15, 2019, reduced the number of allowable noncommercial shrimp pots per person and per vessel to three pots.
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