By The Alaska Department of Fish & Game
The Copper River District will remain closed to commercial drift gillnet fishing. The Copper River District will open to subsistence fishing at 7 a.m. on Thursday, June 25 for a 12-hour fishing period. Waters within the Chinook salmon expanded inside closure area will be CLOSED during this subsistence fishing period. Permit holders are advised that unscheduled announcements providing additional fishing opportunity based on Miles Lake sonar passage trends may occur at any time inseason.
The expanded Chinook salmon inside closure area will be defined as waters north of a line connecting the following points:
Point Latitude Longitude:
Steamboat North 60˚ 22.87′ N. 145˚ 33.50′ W.
Steamboat South 60˚ 22.31′ N. 145˚ 33.50′ W.
West side Pete Dahl Entrance 60˚ 18.89′ N. 145˚ 30.99′ W.
West end Grass Island 60˚ 18.30′ N. 145˚ 28.42′ W.
East end Grass Island 60˚ 15.24′ N. 145˚ 17.89′ W.
West end Kokenhenik Bar 60˚ 15.00′ N. 145˚ 16.20′ W.
East end Kokenhenik Bar 60˚ 13.65′ N. 145˚ 09.46′ W.
Western tip of Softuk Bar 60˚ 13.68′ N. 145˚ 05.78′ W.
Chinook Alternate #1 60˚ 13.79′ N. 144˚ 59.09′ W.
Chinook Alternate #2 60˚ 13.64′ N. 144˚ 53.78′ W.
Chinook Alternate #3 60˚ 12.64′ N. 144˚ 40.21′ W.
*Please note that the ‘Coffee Creek West’ point was replaced with ‘Chinook Alternate #1’.
The grass bank marker line is defined in 5 AAC 24.350(1)(A) with the exception of this year’s extension of the closure line across Little Softuk. This closure line is defined with the following points:
Point Latitude Longitude:
Point Whitshed South 60° 26.49’ N. 145° 52.86’ W.
Alaganik Slough North 60° 24.65’ N. 145° 36.70’ W.
Pete Dahl East 60° 20.44’ N. 145° 29.14’ W.
West Kokenhenik 60° 14.88’ N. 145° 10.01’ W.
East “East Side” 60° 14.83’ N. 145° 03.36’ W.
Coffee Creek East 60° 14.19’ N. 144° 58.01’ W.
Charlie Mohr North 60° 15.15’ N. 144° 56.43’ W.
Martin River North 60° 15.29’ N. 144° 52.52’ W.
Strawberry Reef 60° 13.93’ N. 144° 50.66’ W.
Little Softuk 60° 13.16’ N. 144° 41.38’ W.
Waters north of this line, within sloughs, and in Boswell Bay within the bay (5 AAC 24.350 (1)(A)) are closed to commercial and subsistence salmon fishing during all periods.
Prince William Sound Salmon Announcement Page 1
Forecast, harvest, sonar apportionment, and fish wheels indicators of Chinook salmon abundance all suggest a potentially weak Copper River Chinook salmon run. Chinook salmon abundance in the commercial fishery peaks during the end of May through early June, and the commercial fishery is continuing to be managed conservatively to limit harvest. This management strategy is being implemented to ensure the achievement of the 21,000–31,000 Chinook salmon sustainable escapement goal while providing fishing opportunity on more abundant sockeye salmon.
Miles Lake Sonar project apportionment data indicate that the cumulative count of large Chinook salmon is low for the date. The escapement goal was met in 4 out of the last 7 years. It is too early in the run timing to determine the likelihood of meeting the goal this year. The current trend in large Chinook salmon passage does not give a clear indication of count levels at the end of sonar operation.
Cumulative sonar count through 6/23 is 273,694 fish whereas 357,242 fish would be expected by this date based on historical timing applied to the 2026 inriver goal. The 0600 count for 6/24 is 1,589 fish. For the week ending June 20, the actual Copper River Delta survey count was 6,795 sockeye salmon versus an anticipated range of 14,273-33,736. The cumulative commercial harvest to date is 4,172 Chinook and 228,277 sockeye salmon.
BERING RIVER DISTRICT: Bering River District will remain closed.
COGHILL DISTRICT: The Coghill District, excluding the Granite Bay and Esther Subdistricts and the WNH THA and SHA, will open to commercial drift gillnet harvest for a 24-hour fishing period starting at 8 a.m. on Thursday, June 25. The Granite Bay Subdistrict will open to commercial drift gillnet harvest for a 36-hour fishing period starting at 8 a.m. on Thursday, June 25. Through Tuesday, June 23, the Coghill River weir had passed a total of 371 sockeye salmon versus an anticipated cumulative total of 1,963 fish. Fishing time is being reduced in general district waters to decrease the harvest of Coghill Lake sockeye salmon. Preliminary harvest estimates from the 36-hour period that started on Monday, June 22 were 4,950 sockeye and 16,800 chum salmon with 212 deliveries reported.
PWSAC requests that the Esther Subdistricts remain closed for the entirety of this commercial fishing period. Cost recovery harvests will continue at WNH as run entry and hatchery escapement warrants.
ESHAMY DISTRICT: The Eshamy District, excluding the Main Bay Subdistrict and the MBH THA, SHA, and AGZ, will open to commercial gillnet harvest for a 36-hour period starting at 8 a.m. on Thursday, June 25.
PWSAC recommends keeping the Main Bay Subdistrict closed for maximum run-entry into the MBH SHA to achieve cost recovery goals. Run entry into the MBH SHA has been good. PWSAC is 70% complete on the 2026 gillnet revenue goal.
UNAKWIK DISTRICT: The Unakwik District will open to commercial drift gillnet and purse seine harvest for a 24-hour period starting at 8 a.m. on Thursday, June 25.
SEINE FISHERIES: Reminder that harvest reports are due at 10 a.m. the day after a fishing period closes.
A partial aerial survey of Eastern and Northern districts was conducted on Thursday, June 18. No fish were observed, which is expected for this date.
Prince William Sound Salmon Announcement Page 2
MONTAGUE DISTRICT: As previously announced, the Port Chalmers Subdistrict, north of 60°12.56′ N. lat. and east of a line from 60° 12.56’N., 147° 20.25’W. to 60° 20.00’N., 147° 14.30’W.,will open to purse seine fishing for a 36-hour period starting at 8 a.m. on Thursday, June 25, and a 36-hour period starting at 8 a.m. on Saturday, June 27. Regulatory closed waters and anadromous stream closures within the Port Chalmers Subdistrict will not be in effect until further notice. The estimated harvest for the 36-hour period ending on June 21 was 24,400 chum salmon with 33 reported deliveries. A total of 840,000 chum salmon is forecast to return to Port Chalmers Subdistrict.
SOUTHWESTERN DISTRICT: The AFK Hatchery THA and SHA will open to purse seine fishing for a 36-hour period starting at 8 a.m. on Thursday, June 25, and a 36-hour period starting at 8 a.m. on Saturday, June 27. Anadromous stream closures within the AFK Hatchery THA and SHA will not be in effect until further notice. The estimated harvest for the 36-hour period ending on June 21 was 10,900 chum and 537 sockeye salmon with 24 reported deliveries. A total of 330,000 chum salmon is forecast to return to AFK Hatchery. Historical harvest timing for these chum salmon is from June 1-July 27.
Copies of the regulation booklet, 2025-2028 Commercial Salmon Fishing Regulations for Prince William Sound, are available in the Cordova and Anchorage ADFG office.
All buyers purchasing fish in the PWS Management Area are required to complete a Processor Registration Form. Contact the Cordova office for any questions regarding registration.
The next scheduled salmon fisheries announcement is anticipated to be at 2 p.m. Saturday, June 27.
Announcement recordings are available for gillnet fisheries at 907-424-7535 and seine fisheries at 907-424-7345.
Additionally, announcements, inseason harvest data, and escapement data are available at the following web address: http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=commercialbyareapws.main (Prince William Sound and Copper River homepage).
Unless otherwise specified, all openings are clock openings based on Alaska Daylight Time, which is based on Coordinated Universal Time and may be obtained by calling 303-499-7111.
The department encourages commercial permit holders to renew their licenses early and to check their CFEC vessel registration stickers to make sure they are current.
The department also encourages permit holders to report observed violations to Wildlife Safeguard at 800-478- 3377. Reports are anonymous and cash rewards may be paid for successful prosecution of violations.
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