(Anchorage) – Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) is reducing the bag and possession limit for coho salmon to a bag limit of three and a possession limit of six coho salmon, effective 12:01 a.m. Monday, August 19 through 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, December 31, 2024 in the Valdez Terminal Harvest Area (THA).
“Out of an abundance of caution we are reducing the coho salmon bag and possession limit to allow more fish to return to the Solomon Gulch hatchery and protect small wild coho salmon stocks”, stated Anchorage Area Management Biologist Brittany Blain-Roth. “Fishing in the marine waters has been slow and indications are for a poor coho salmon run returning to the Valdez THA.”
The Valdez THA is all waters north of a line between Point Freemantle and Rocky Point. This bag limit reduction will align the Valdez THA with the remainder of the Prince William Sound Management Area, excluding the THA’s in Cordova, Whittier, and Chenga; however, the possession limit in the Valdez THA will remain higher than the PWSMA (excluding other THAs) and will be 6 coho salmon.