(SitNews) Ketchikan, Alaska - With concerns over chinook salmon stocks throughout Southeast Alaska, the Ketchikan CHARR King Salmon Derby Committee has voted to modify this year’s king salmon derby by holding a silver salmon contest later in the summer.

Chinook salmon stocks in the Unuk River, north of Ketchikan, have not met escapement goals in four of the last five years, despite implementation of restrictive measures in the Ketchikan area since 2014.

Other derbies throughout Southeast Alaska have also been modified or canceled due to low returns, including Juneau, which cancelled their derby for the second year in a row.

“Obviously this is a community tradition going back decades,” said Michael Briggs, Coordinator of the Ketchikan CHARR King Salmon Derby. “Rather than cancel the event altogether, the Derby Committee wanted to find a way to keep the tradition going while taking some of the pressure off the fish. We’re hopeful stocks will rebound in the next year or two, allowing us to resume the king derby. Until then, we hope the community enjoys this event.”

Maintaining the same format as the king derby, this year’s silver salmon derby will take place over three consecutive weekends, including one three-day weekend. The contest will open on Saturday, August 18, 2018 and conclude on Labor Day Monday, September 3, 2018. The king salmon derby has traditionally opened on Memorial Day Weekend.

Prize packages for each of the thirty ladder spots have yet to be determined, but the top prize of $10,000 for the largest salmon turned in remains in place. Final prize categories and any rule changes will be available when the derby tide book is published in early June.

According to the news release, the ticket price to enter the Silver Salmon contest in August is likely to remain the same. Proceeds from ticket sales benefit the Ketchikan CHARR Education Fund. Each year approximately $10,000 is awarded to local students to continue their education, with $11,500 donated in 2017 scholarships. Since taking over administration of the derby in 2006, Ketchikan CHARR has raised $120,000 for local students.

Editing by Mary Kauffman, SitNews

Source of News:

Ketchikan CHARR King Salmon Derby Committee
www.ketchikankingsalmonderby.com

 

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