Kenai River to close for early-run kings through July 1

For the second year in a row, the Kenai River will be closed to king salmon fishing in May and June because of expected weak returns -- the first time in half a century the river has experienced back-to-back closures for early-run kings. "The last time the king salmon season was closed for two consecutive years was 1964-65," Robert Begich, a state biologist in Soldotna, said Thursday. "And it hasn't been done preseason since 1965." Begich said the Kenai closures announced Thursday afternoon -- no retention at all from May 1 to June 30, and retention after July 1 limited to kings caught downstream of Slikok Creek -- are the same ones put in place last summer. The difference is the state's Department of Fish and Game is shutting things down ahead of time, rather than making the decisions during the summer. This way, Begich said, people considering fishing trips to the Kenai Peninsula "can plan accordingly." Fish and Game issued a number of emergency orders Thursday, including ones that limit retention of kings on the Kasilof River, Anchor River, the Susitna River drainage and the Little Su. Last year on the Kenai River, the season started with a catch-and-release policy for kings, but not even that will be allowed this year, Begich said. The reason for the closure: no fish. Or at least not enough fish. "We're trying to ensure we get enough to reach our spawning escapement goal," Begich said. The goal is 5,300 to 9,000 early-run kings. The forecast is 2,200, Begich said. Similarly low numbers of kings led to an early-run closing in 1964 and 1965, Begich said. In 1965, the closures were done before the season started, as is the case this time. Forecasts are also low for the late run of Kenai kings, and management decisions for that run will be made as the summer progresses, Begich said. If there is a silver lining for anglers eager to hook a chinook, Begich said, it's that those closures 50 years ago brought the desired results. "The stocks rebuilt," he said.