Why Do People Fight Over These Salmon? The Kenai River Salmon Fisheries

[@russtover]

Commercial has snubbed out pretty much the other 2, sport fishing and subsistence fishing. Commercial fishing has 12 / 13 members on the fish and game board that calls the shots for commercial fisheries to get there’s before anyone else. Most commercial fisherman are from the lower 48 and most of the community’s around that area really rely on sport fishing and oil to keep them afloat. Commercial fisheries have pretty much made the Kenai King salmon extinct. Commercial fisheries on the Kenai need to be cut in half at least, this video doesn’t say what is really happening.

[@HowtoAlaska]

What you are saying is you would like more of the resource allocated to you. Don’t demonize your neighbor in the process. Most commercial fishermen are from Alaska in this specific fishery. They are our friends and neighbors.

[@4x4outdoorsak35]

Guides have wiped out the king salmon

[@billcraig1540]

This area has been sustainably commercial fished for over 100 years. Most commercial salmon fishermen in AK are resident. You are misinformed or lying to advocate for easier fishing for yourself.

[@4x4outdoorsak35]

Maby don't shove well over a million fish up a tiny river ???!!

[@HowtoAlaska]

@Randy Bienia maybe if you count trawlers, Bristol Bay, and the Bering Sea fisheries. There are some out of state people one the Kenai...but a large part of them live and work year round. This is a specific fishery we are talking about here. Also thats an easy thing to say about commercial fisherman being from out of state. Where are you finding your statistics? Craig Medred or the actual State of Alaska? Craig clearly has a bias against commercial fishing in general.

[@kestrel5719]

The Kenai peninsula and Cook Inlet are an awesome fishery, I just got back to Minnesota from there and filled my freezer with some great halibut,silvers and rockfish. We had a blast and everyone we met were great! Fished outa ninilchik. Keep up the informative videos👍

[@alaskanpatriot6228]

One of your best. Great information!

[@shawnsnisarenko2657]

I have a cabin in Soldotna and right by the river with a dock

[@RusticByNature]

Great video, very informative.

[@stevendelcarlo3294]

Makes me home sick great video 👍

[@NuttyNu]

Awesome video!

[@mcchickenmcflurry3636]

Doesn’t the first few minute of the video look like it was video at clam gultch

[@jeremykendall3003]

What would be a good time of year to fish the Russian and kenai river confluence??

[@HowtoAlaska]

I think it opens here in a week or two

[@mariac5346]

This is very informative. Great job!!

[@jaredstark231]

I sure miss AK!

[@josephkerley363]

Well said and explained ... any day on the Kenai is a great day! Thanks for a really good explanation to those outside! Silvers are running soon if not already, maybe I’ll run into you!

[@360fishingadventures8]

I will never fish the Kenai. To many people. I wanna fish a smaller stream off the beaten trail.

[@jasonkeuma1986]

Good.

[@4x4outdoorsak35]

I hate fishing on the kenai river too lol too many tourist and guides its no fun

[@TheLooseyMoosey]

Gotta head up the parks highway and find the streams up there

[@EdRock]

Very nice 👌

[@geoffbonin7337]

In my eyes the most harmful activity is dip netting. I think it is much more harmful than commercial fishing. There has been a huge decline in the red runs that corolates with dip netting. I would like to see it stopped for good. If you can't get your fish with a rod and reel just stay at home. The amount of garbage and the influx of people is not wanted by the locals that I know.

[@HowtoAlaska]

In the last few years the red runs have been very strong. Your second complaint is unfortunately valid, hence my advice to people participating in the fishery.

[@geoffbonin7337]

@@HowtoAlaska I have fished this river for over 35 years. The dip netting has had a negative impact. You can't take that many fish from the spawning grounds and expect them to continue to be as plentiful.

[@HowtoAlaska]

Dip-netters harvest before the fish sonar. Red salmon have nearly reached or exceeded maximum escapement goals for the last few years. That is just a fact. Doesn’t mean you have to like dip netting, but the sockeye runs are healthy enough to sustain the fishery.

[@tiffneycarlson5341]

I live in kenai

[@littlegoobie]

were you affected by the fires at all?

[@AkChiVibes]

Me too

[@ryananey7626]

Is there single ladies in the keni? I'm looking to marry and go fishing!🤓

[@conradlowenstein9210]

Too many salmon returning? What have you been smoking?

[@conradlowenstein9210]

I would also like to point out that I have been heavily involved in commercial fishing my whole life and I have seen rivers get fished out. People like you are the problem.

[@HowtoAlaska]

It’s a biological cycle, rivers can only sustain a certain amount of healthy fish it’s not Limitless

[@chrisallen561]

You are painfully wrong. Commercial fishing basically wiped out the kings. And they decimate the population of reds, silvers, and kings at every fishery in the state.

[@HowtoAlaska]

Commercial fishing is a broad label… what I have said is the theory the state biologists manage the fishery with

[@jimmyjordan2871]

lol bristol bay and area m seems to be doing alright ? do agree that setnetting has screwed the kings in cook inlet though

[@lancealldrin8499]

Complete BS. Who has fished over the spawning beds targeting the largest of the kings year after year, yep KRSA. And 300 +/- guides licensed to fish the river?

[@dogfacesailor]

1am at Soldotna Park.

[@tlpoutdoorsman]

Commercial fisherman help the the salmom runs in the river!!!!! That is by far the dumbest thing I've ever heard! Then 30 seconds later you say the salmon haven't been returning with the numbers that they normally have!!! ..... news flash! Commercial fishing does not help salmon runs in any River! Period!

[@HowtoAlaska]

I explain why... it’s like anything else in biology populations fluctuate based on what the environment can sustain. If you limit wild swings in population you can get maximum environmental capacity over a long period of time.

[@tlpoutdoorsman]

@@HowtoAlaska my experience is when man trys to manipulate the environment, it becomes the environment worst enemy... those salmon runs have been sustaining itself for many many years long before Commercial fishing was ever introduced. Commercial fishing has wiped out several fisheries in the world today, Alaska thought it never happen to them. Do your research a little better! Because it's happening now!

[@HowtoAlaska]

I have done my research hence the video, but it doesn’t appear I can sway your opinion...you are clearly a non-interventionist and that’s not an option in this fishery.

[@tlpoutdoorsman]

@@HowtoAlaska you certainly

[@tlpoutdoorsman]

You definitely haven't done enough.... fisheries all over the world, including Alaska are failing .. due to intervention

[@theeagle2610]

Best episode in your channel👍👍👍

[@HowtoAlaska]

definitely my best edit but we have some other episodes that are equally impressive.

[@theeagle2610]

@@HowtoAlaska I am just here from out door boys, Now starting to watch your whole videos.

[@HowtoAlaska]

@@theeagle2610 thank you for watching, we're glad you found us

[@mcchickenmcflurry3636]

The first few minute looks like clam gultch

[@danecrowley7267]

Holy Cow--you are gonna need some mouthwash after that description of the "virtues of commercial fishing"

[@HowtoAlaska]

I’ve seen virtuous people that do all three and also evil people that do all three. Fishing is just fishing and the commercial guys get demonized the most. Plus I got the best footage of that.

[@redsea2942]

Won’t be long till that fishery is longer sustainable. Look south for an example. If this is not properly regulated now you will lose these fish forever. We can’t even fish for sockeye where I’m from. Too much damage from over fishing to make a comeback in my lifetime

[@HowtoAlaska]

Dams were probably a big factor in most failed sockeye runs. It’s the king salmon that are struggling not the sockeye.

[@bg8224]

@@HowtoAlaska Nah I think Redsea is right. Those dipnetters are straight up raping the river. Enjoy it while it lasts...

[@HowtoAlaska]

@@bg8224 you obviously can think what you like, but you do not sound like you understand how salmon escapement and management happen in Alaska. These runs are managed for maximum returns.

[@ikennaeckrich5332]

Not really at all.

[@pittmannn1]

Dip netting is idiotic.

[@patriotpioneer]

What are the other requirements for Subsistence Fishing other than being a resident...? Is it based on income or need...? If you qualify for a subsistence License can you still have a sport-fish license?

[@HowtoAlaska]

It’s actually managed under personal use fisheries on the adfg website

[@littlegoobie]

Yeah, you still need a sport fishing license, and you also need a permit picked up from their office. senior residents can get a free lifetime fishing license including the king stamp. I remember a story about a guy who caused a big stink after he shot and ate a swan because it's allowed under subsistence.

[@HowtoAlaska]

Good point I neglected to mention

[@patriotpioneer]

@@littlegoobie I asked my neighbor about it last week. He said he was denied a subsistence License because he is on Social Security & has a Pension, sorry tha's bullshit....

[@brianfleury5935]

Lol. Commercial fishing helping the resource???? Lol

[@HowtoAlaska]

With returning salmon well managed commercial fishing levels out the peaks and valleys in natural salmon returns allowing for consistent healthy runs annually

[@edgarsmittenheighnjenkson9226]

Is bow fishing salmon legal?

[@paoutdoors9447]

Great video!