(USFWS/DanCox)
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced this week that Pullen Creek and Pullen Pond in Skagway are open to sport fishing for king salmon effective Saturday, July 16. In the fresh waters of Pullen Creek, the bag and possession limit for both residents and nonresidents is four king salmon of any size.
The nonresident annual limit for king salmon does not apply.
This regulation will remain in effect through Sept. 14.
According to a release, this additional opportunity is being provided to allow harvest of hatchery-produced king salmon that have returned to Pullen Creek. There will be no king salmon brood stock collected there this year by the department. Last year was the final season that ADF&G managed the brood stock in the creek, citing a lack of funding and irregular return for the program’s demise. Eggs from returning females were harvested by biologists and fry were raised in pens in Pullen Creek. They were released into the wild with the expectation they would return after a few years. The goal of the program was to establish a sport fishery in Taiya Inlet.
Anglers are required to purchase a 2016 king stamp in addition to a current sport-fishing license. Sport fishing licenses and king salmon stamps can be obtained online at adfg.alaska.gov.
