Costs, Earnings, and Employment in the Alaska Saltwater Sport Fishing Charter Sector, 2017

Pacific halibut and Pacific salmon are the most common target sport fish species in Alaska. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) manages Pacific salmon in Alaska primarily through a policy that involves maintaining spawning habitats and ensuring escapement levels (Heard 2009). Allocation between the commercial and recreational fishing sectors is set by the Alaska Board of Fish and can have a profound influence on observed trends. In recent years, there has been concern over declining Chinook salmon levels, leading to area closures. Current Pacific salmon sport fishing regulations can be found on ADF&G’s website: http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=fishregulations.sport. 2019 NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service) AFSC (Alaska Fisheries Science Center) Submitted https://doi.org/10.25923/h7nk-9661 Public Domain 1863