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Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

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Kenai closed to king salmon fishing; worst early run on record


It was nonstop fishing excitement on Alaska's Kenai River.
 (Jim Kershner / The Spokesman-Review)
It was nonstop fishing excitement on Alaska's Kenai River. (Jim Kershner / The Spokesman-Review)

SALMON FISHING -- It's a bad year for that salmon fishing dream trip to some portions of Alaska.

Record low king runs have forced the Alaska Department of Fish and Game on Friday to close king salmon sport fishing seasons in some rivers including the fabled Kenai River.

Returns were expected to be low, and they've been worse. So far only about 4,000 early-run kings have passed the in-river sonar counter. That makes the early Kenai run the worst on record.  Another run follows.

Read this story from the Alaska  Dispatch regarding the tension building between sport and commercial fishermen over who's bearing the burden of king salmon conservation.

Read this story originating from the Alaska Daily News exploring the causes for the decline of these famous salmon fisheries.



Rich Landers

Rich Landers joined The Spokesman-Review in 1977. He is the Outdoors editor for the Sports Department writing and photographing stories about hiking, hunting, fishing, boating, conservation, nature and wildlife and related topics.

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