Alaska Closes Coho Retention in Susitna and Little Susitna Drainages

Alaska is shutting down coho retention in the Susitna and Little Susitna River drainages, and the numbers explain why.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game says no coho salmon 16 inches or longer may be retained in those drainages starting 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 19, through the rest of the year. Bait remains prohibited in all flowing waters of the Susitna and Little Susitna drainages. Artificial lures only.

The Little Susitna sustainable escapement goal is 9,200 to 17,700 coho. As of Aug. 17, only 1,385 coho had passed the weir, with projected escapement at 2,104 fish. Add four years of poor Susitna drainage coho performance and weak indicators again this year, and this is a conservation call, not a feel-good regulation.

Nobody who loves to fish likes giving up harvest. But if the run is not there, pretending otherwise does not help anglers, guides, families or the fishery. Legal harvest depends on healthy returns. Sometimes that means taking the hit now so there is still a run worth fighting for later.