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Blind Slough Closes to Sport Fishing and King Salmon Bag Limits Decrease in Wrangell Narrows

Petersburg – The Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Division of Sport Fish today announced a closure to sport fishing in Blind Slough due to brood stock concerns at the Crystal Lake Hatchery (CLH).  The closure includes all waters of Blind Slough upstream of a line between Blind Point and Anchor Point, from Friday July 4th through Thursday July 31st, 2008.   Bag and possession limits for king salmon within the Wrangell Narrows Terminal Harvest Area (THA) are restricted to two king salmon of any size for the same time period.  King salmon caught within the THA do not count toward nonresident annual limits.

Conservation measures will be taken in response to weak returns of king salmon in order to achieve hatchery broodstock goals (500 females and 500 males) at CLH necessary to sustain the hatchery release programs for Blind Slough/Wrangell Narrows and in Anita Bay, near Wrangell.  A closure to sport fishing in Blind Slough is needed at this time to prevent additional pre-spawning mortalities in Blind Slough during summer periods of low- and warmer water conditions.  Harvest restrictions in the marine waters will allow some harvest, yet allow additional escapement into Blind Slough. 

Anyone needing further information concerning this announcement should contact the Division of Sport Fish office in Petersburg at (907) 772-5231.

For additional information contact Doug Fleming , Petersburg-Wrangell Area Biologist, (907) 772-5231.

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