News

Razor clams are seen in this undated photo. (Photo courtesy Fish and Wildlife)

East Cook Inlet sport and personal use razor clam fisheries closed for 2023

An emergency order has been issued each year from 2015 to 2022 closing the fisheries

Razor clams are seen in this undated photo. (Photo courtesy Fish and Wildlife)
A sockeye salmon’s tail protrudes above the edge of a bin on a setnet site July 11, 2016, near Kenai, Alaska. (Peninsula Clarion file photo)

Assembly asks state for east side setnet disaster declaration

The Kenai River drainage was closed to king salmon fishing this summer due to low king counts

A sockeye salmon’s tail protrudes above the edge of a bin on a setnet site July 11, 2016, near Kenai, Alaska. (Peninsula Clarion file photo)
The Kasilof River can be seen in June 2019. (Clarion file)

Kasilof sockeye run strongest of season, report finds

The department forecast about 941,000 sockeye in the Kasilof, when the actual run was about 1.5 million

The Kasilof River can be seen in June 2019. (Clarion file)
U.S. Coast Guard courtesy photo Two crewmembers from Coast Guard Cutter Naushon and a member from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Law Enforcement (NOAA OLE) pose for a picture with allegedly illegally-retained halibut in Homer, Alaska, Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022. While conducting a boarding of a commercial fishing vessel, a Cutter Naushon boarding team member discovered a total of 117 pounds of illegally-retained halibut aboard the vessel and handed them over to NOAA OLE representatives in Homer.

USCG, NOAA seize illegal halibut

Naushon boarding crew discovers unlogged halibut.

U.S. Coast Guard courtesy photo Two crewmembers from Coast Guard Cutter Naushon and a member from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of Law Enforcement (NOAA OLE) pose for a picture with allegedly illegally-retained halibut in Homer, Alaska, Wednesday, Nov. 30, 2022. While conducting a boarding of a commercial fishing vessel, a Cutter Naushon boarding team member discovered a total of 117 pounds of illegally-retained halibut aboard the vessel and handed them over to NOAA OLE representatives in Homer.
Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire Two Dungeness crabs charge one another while standing on the deck of Charlie Blattner’s boat named “Marco” berthed at the Aurora Harbor on Monday afternoon. According to data from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, this summer’s Dungeness crab fishery dropped around $10 million in value compared to last year.

Dungeness crab summer harvest drops $10M from previous season

Some Southeast fishermen skipping fall season entirely, other’s say season has been “hit or miss”

Clarise Larson / Juneau Empire Two Dungeness crabs charge one another while standing on the deck of Charlie Blattner’s boat named “Marco” berthed at the Aurora Harbor on Monday afternoon. According to data from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, this summer’s Dungeness crab fishery dropped around $10 million in value compared to last year.
Raymond Bradbury preserves his salmon while dipnetting in the mouth of the Kenai River on Saturday, July 10, 2021. (Camille Botello / Peninsula Clarion)

Fish and Game mailing annual sport fishing survey

The survey has been conducted annually since 1977

Raymond Bradbury preserves his salmon while dipnetting in the mouth of the Kenai River on Saturday, July 10, 2021. (Camille Botello / Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai Mayor Brian Gabriel prepares to spin one of the wheels that determine the magic weight at the closing ceremony of the Kenai Silver Salmon Derby on Monday, Sept. 19, 2022, in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Silver Salmon Derby winners announced

5-year-old hits magic weight

Kenai Mayor Brian Gabriel prepares to spin one of the wheels that determine the magic weight at the closing ceremony of the Kenai Silver Salmon Derby on Monday, Sept. 19, 2022, in Kenai, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Raymond Bradbury preserves his salmon while dipnetting in the mouth of the Kenai River on Saturday, July 10, 2021. (Camille Botello / Peninsula Clarion)

Fishing season wraps up

Waters in the Kenai River are high and cloudy

Raymond Bradbury preserves his salmon while dipnetting in the mouth of the Kenai River on Saturday, July 10, 2021. (Camille Botello / Peninsula Clarion)
Kenai Mayor Brian Gabriel spins a wheel to determine the Magic Weight at the Kenai Silver Salmon Derby on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020, at Three Bears grocery store in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)

Wheel of fish

Silver Salmon Derby kicks off Tuesday

Kenai Mayor Brian Gabriel spins a wheel to determine the Magic Weight at the Kenai Silver Salmon Derby on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2020, at Three Bears grocery store in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion)
Nick Varney

Reeling ‘Em In: And it’s a wrap

Nick writes his last report for the summer

Nick Varney
Raymond Bradbury preserves his salmon while dipnetting in the mouth of the Kenai River on Saturday, July 10, 2021. (Camille Botello / Peninsula Clarion)

Waters high, turbid on Kenai River

Northern Kenai fishing report for Sept. 8

Raymond Bradbury preserves his salmon while dipnetting in the mouth of the Kenai River on Saturday, July 10, 2021. (Camille Botello / Peninsula Clarion)
Nick Varney

Reeling ‘Em In: Thunder frightens humans and mutts, but the cohos still are bitin’

Time to take a look at the fishing report for Aug. 30

Nick Varney
Raymond Bradbury preserves his salmon while dipnetting in the mouth of the Kenai River on Saturday, July 10, 2021. (Camille Botello / Peninsula Clarion)

Coho fishing still good on Kenai River

Northern Kenai Fishing Report

Raymond Bradbury preserves his salmon while dipnetting in the mouth of the Kenai River on Saturday, July 10, 2021. (Camille Botello / Peninsula Clarion)
Raymond Bradbury preserves his salmon while dipnetting in the mouth of the Kenai River on Saturday, July 10, 2021. (Camille Botello / Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai River king escapement misses key target

Alaska Department of Fish and Game announced preliminary estimated escapement numbers for Kenai River late-run King Salmon on Thursday. Currently, the total is estimated to… Continue reading

Raymond Bradbury preserves his salmon while dipnetting in the mouth of the Kenai River on Saturday, July 10, 2021. (Camille Botello / Peninsula Clarion)
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski speaks at the Kenai Classic Roundtable at Kenai Peninsula College on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2022 near Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Bycatch stirs debate at fisheries roundtable

Bycatch was the issue du jour at Wednesday’s annual Kenai Classic Roundtable on Fisheries. Hosted at Kenai Peninsula College by the Kenai River Sportfishing Association,… Continue reading

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski speaks at the Kenai Classic Roundtable at Kenai Peninsula College on Wednesday, Aug. 17, 2022 near Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Sockeye salmon return to Steep Creek to spawn. Alaska’s overall commercial salmon harvest across all species is currently up 15% from 2021 (2020 for pinks) with Bristol Bay and the Prince William Sound largely carrying the weight while other regions lag, according to data from the most recent Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute weekly salmon harvest update. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)

Statewide salmon harvest on the upswing compared to last year

Bristol Bay and Prince William Sound are mainly pulling the weight

Sockeye salmon return to Steep Creek to spawn. Alaska’s overall commercial salmon harvest across all species is currently up 15% from 2021 (2020 for pinks) with Bristol Bay and the Prince William Sound largely carrying the weight while other regions lag, according to data from the most recent Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute weekly salmon harvest update. (Ben Hohenstatt / Juneau Empire)
Raymond Bradbury preserves his salmon while dipnetting in the mouth of the Kenai River on Saturday, July 10, 2021. (Camille Botello / Peninsula Clarion)

Sockeye fishing still good in upper Kenai, slowing in lower

Northern Kenai fishing report

Raymond Bradbury preserves his salmon while dipnetting in the mouth of the Kenai River on Saturday, July 10, 2021. (Camille Botello / Peninsula Clarion)
Raymond Bradbury preserves his salmon while dipnetting in the mouth of the Kenai River on Saturday, July 10, 2021. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion file)

Personal use harvest reports due Monday

Northern Kenai fishing report

Raymond Bradbury preserves his salmon while dipnetting in the mouth of the Kenai River on Saturday, July 10, 2021. (Camille Botello/Peninsula Clarion file)
Children ride a fishing boat onto the Kenai River during the Kenai River Junior Classic in Soldotna, Alaska, on Aug. 10, 2022. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Kids take to the river

Approximately 100 kids participated in the Kenai River Junior Classic to learn about water safety and fishing

Children ride a fishing boat onto the Kenai River during the Kenai River Junior Classic in Soldotna, Alaska, on Aug. 10, 2022. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Nick Varney

Reeling ‘Em In: Hints from Nick on catchin’ cohos

Silvers loathe direct sunlight and are spooked by shadows

Nick Varney