King salmon fishing limited to catch-and-release only to begin 2022 season

Fishing for king salmon will be limited to catch-and-release only to begin the season this year.

According to an order released by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game on Wednesday, the projected escapement for kings at the Deshka weir is expected to be at the low end of the sustainable range.

The sustainable escapement goal is the number of fish that Fish and Game biologists believe need to reach their spawning grounds in order to sustain the population in future years.

Area Biologist Sam Ivey says that the counts will be monitored throughout the king salmon season, from May 1^st through July 13^th, and it’s possible that restrictions could either be tightened or loosened if numbers warrant it.