CHITINA — A cheer went up along the Copper River Monday as a dipnetter struggling in the churning, brown waist-deep water finally dragged ashore what is becoming an increasingly precious catch — a blush-colored king salmon of more than 30 pounds.
It was one of two kings seen caught by a couple dozen fishermen hard at work, swinging or drifting long-handled nets in the murky glacial water on a dusty day beneath a 90-degree sun. It would also be among the last kings landed in the fishery this year.
Faced with a statewide king salmon crisis, state fish managers are banning Copper River dipnetters from keeping kings after midnight Sunday.
The closure comes as no big surprise. Biologists with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game were projecting a return of only 46,000 of the big fish this year. That's down from a long-term average of 70,000 and way below the good old days of a decade ago when the river saw a total return closer to 100,000.
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