Sport fishing will be restricted in a couple places on Kodiak Island starting Saturday.
The Karluk River drainage will be closed to sport fishing effective midnight. To reduce the chance of killing incidentally-caught king salmon there, only one unbaited single-hook artificial lure can be used within the river drainage below Karluk Lake, including the lagoon.
The Ayakulik River drainage is restricted to non-retention of all king salmon, regardless of size, and only one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure may be used there.
Returns in both rivers are coming up significantly short of escapement goals set by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
Donn Tracy, a sport fish biologist for the department, said that's why the decision was made. But the low numbers are not taking anyone by surprise, and it's not all bad news for fishing in Kodiak.
"Karluk River king salmon run was designated as stock of concern in 2011," Tracy said. "The Ayakulik River, which is the other natural or native king salmon run in Kodiak archipelago, is also having poor runs. But neither were expected to be strong."
A bright spot is that there has been a "real, viable" hatchery run of king salmon along the Kodiak road system, Tracy said. "If the trend continues of strong returns for sockeye runs, I suspect we'll be increasing sport fishing."