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Sport fishing tourney helps stock local rivers with wild king salmon
Article published on Wednesday, May 21st, 2008
By MISTY MAYNARD
Mirror Writer

Those participating in the Kodiak King Salmon Peace Cup Sportfishing Tournament are doing more than just competing. They are helping to support local king salmon enhancement.

According to a press release, half of the proceeds from the annual sportfishing tournament go to bolster the Kodiak Regional Aquaculture Association/Alaska Department of Fish and Game Kodiak road system king salmon enhancement project at the KRAA hatchery in Monashka Bay. The rest of the proceeds make up the contest purse.

Last year’s tournament raised $20,000 and this year Judi Kidder, a volunteer with the Lions Club, said about $30,000 has already been pledged — and that without having sold a ticket.

“It’s a win-win for Kodiak, it benefits everyone,” Kidder said of the tournament. “There’s no limit to how big this can be.”

Kidder said she has been approached by state and national publications interested in the project and would like to turn the tournament into a major event raising as much as $100,000.

The king salmon enhancement project has widespread support, according to the press release.

State support in the amount of $80,000 capital improvement funds has been allocated for Kodiak from the director of Alaska Department of Fish and Game Sport Fish division. State funding is generated by the sale of sport fishing licenses and king salmon stamps.

The Department of Fish and Game does not have a hatchery in Kodiak but works with KRAA to raise king salmon. Local staff collects adult king salmon and provide it to KRAA to provide brood stock for the KRAA Pillary Creek Hatchery. There, KRAA fertilizes the eggs and raises them to smolt size, ready to release.

State funds will allow for an additional raceway at the Monashka Reservoir to grow kings to the size necessary for survival in the wild. ADFG sport fish biologist Len Schwarz has worked on the aquaculture project since it began in 1998. He said the raceway should be operating by June 2009.

“The additional raceway will boost smolt production at least about 30 percent to approximately 150,000 fish,” he said.

KRAA executive director Kevin Brennan said king salmon projects have been tried in Kodiak before, but have not been successful in producing sustainable sport fishing opportunities.

However, Brennan said this project has a better chance for success because of the support it has received.

“It has the support of local individuals, businesses and sportfishing organizations like the Kodiak Association of Charterboat Operators and the Kodiak Sportfishing Associations,” he said.

There’s also support from city and borough governments and Alaska Native organizations.

Brood stock originally came from Karluk River, Kidder said. King salmon smolt from the project are currently imprinted and released in Monashka Creek, the American River and the Olds River and provide new sport fishing opportunities for Kodiakans in early summer.

The contest coincides with the return of these fish to local streams.

Tickets are being sold for the contest at Cy’s, Macks, Island Seafoods and Normans. The contest began May 16 and will run through July 6.

For more information call 487-2421 or 486-6555 or visit www.kodiakfishingderby.org.

The tournament is sponsored by KRAA and Kodiak Lions Club.

Mirror writer Misty Maynard can be reached via e-mail at mmaynard@kodiakdailymirror.com.
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