The Department of Fish and Game is holding a purse seine opening in the Amalga Harbor special harvest area on July 4th for returning DIPAC chum salmon.
Fishing will occur between 9 am and 3 pm tomorrow.
This is the second year Fish and Game is managing the fishery. Dave Harris is the commercial area management biologist for ADF&G. He says last year’s effort was strong with as many as 95 boats participating in an opening.
“Last year, that was really the only fishery happening at the time. This year we have some other areas available for purse seiners in the general vicinity so we’re hoping the effort won’t be quite as big,” Harris says.
“I would expect to see at least 50, if not more, boats out there.”
A DIPAC representative will be at the high-use Amalga launch ramp to inform boaters of the potential heavy traffic of seiners.
“It should work out just fine if everybody is aware and pays attention,” says Harris.
The seine fishing area will extend south from the southern portion of Eagle Beach to the arboretum, and extend west to Gull and Bird Islands.
