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First Reported King Harvested In Bethel Area. Unfortunately, Catch Violates Restrictions.

Courtesy of Sam Alexie Sr.

The season's first harvest of a king salmon has been reported in the Bethel area. Unfortunately, the catch violates current state restrictions.

Around 3 p.m. Tuesday afternoon, Sam Alexie Sr. pulled a king salmon out of his whitefish net. He called KYUK shortly afterwards to share the news after posting a picture of him holding the king on Facebook. He says, the net is located about five miles upstream of Bethel on the main stem of the Kuskokwim River.

Alexie estimates that the king weighs 35 pounds and stretches four feet in length.

By state order, no gillnets are currently allowed on the main stem of the Kuskokwim from the river’s mouth to approximately one-half mile upstream of the mouth of the Tuluksak River. The restriction began on Saturday, May 20 and is moving upstream in five-day increments.

Anna Rose MacArthur served as KYUK's News Director from 2015-2022.