The Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced Friday that the Chilkoot Lake sockeye salmon escapement is now above the goal midpoint. The escapement trend has prompted officials to extend the commercial gillnet fishing time and area in District 15.
District 15A will opened at 12:01 p.m. on Sunday, and runs through noon on Thursday south of the terminus of the Chilkoot River. Chilkat Inlet is closed north of Seduction Point. Area commercial fisheries biologist Mark Sogge said that 13,700 sockeye were counted at the Chilkoot River weir on Thursday – a new daily record. With the fish pouring in, fishermen are given more time on the water to net their catches.
The fishing area and time announced on Thursday for section 15-C remains the same, which started on Sunday and goes through noon on Tuesday with some restrictions around the Endicott River and Yankee Cove.
According to the department, 85 boats in District 15 – the Upper Lynn Canal – caught around 60,000 salmon in the past week.
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