Alaska Department of Fishing and Game bases king salmon regulations on two variables – abundance and angler effort. For 2021, the abundance comes in close to 2020. With vaccines, less restrictive mandates, and rapidly declining infections, angler effort is expected to return to near normal.
A few other moving targets enter the mix in estimating angler effort, including closures of king salmon fishing on the inside waters (not Sitka), almost no cruise ship-based anglers, and a decrease in private boats motoring north. Sparing you the complex formulas, the long and short is we have excellent king regulations for 2021.
Nonresident King Limits for 2021
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The nonresident bag and possession limit is one king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length;
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The nonresident annual limit is four king salmon, 28 inches or greater in length;
To be clear – the four king salmon annual limit is for the entire 2021 season as of now. That can be adjusted up or down by emergency order in response to the catch rate. We hope the annual limit remains steady throughout the summer but limits can be adjusted to assure we don’t exceed our quota.