Copper River Subsistence License

[southeastgirl]

I was going to try the Copper for reds this weekend and was told about a subsistence license I could get for the Copper. My source was saying the only place I could get this is in Palmer, although living in Wasilla if I could find that closer to home, that would be great. And I also have to question my source roud: Anyone have any input on the subsistence license for the Copper? I have never heard of it before, don't know where to get it, and would love to know more. Thank you!!

[gr8fl]

Here's the link. "Subsistence salmon fishing in the Glennallen Subdistrict opens June 1 and closes September 30. The Glennallen subdistrict is all waters of the Copper River upstream of the Mcarthy Road Bridge to the confluence with the Slana River. A permit is required, and only one permit will issued to a household in a calendar year. Salmon may be taken with either a dip net or a fish wheel, but only one type of gear can be specified on a permit. Only Alaska residents can participate in this subsistence salmon fishery. Permits can be obtained only at the Anchorage, Fairbanks, and Glennallen offices of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game..."

~tr

[lynch]

They are also available at many of the sporting goods stores. I got mine at Frontier out fitters in Fairbanks. Give a call to fish and game, they may have the name of a store near you that is distributing them. I believe the store in Tazlina that is just before you turn off the Richardson and on to the Edgerton Highway has a sign that says they sell permits as well.

[gr8fl]

Do they have the Subsistence Permits, or just the Personal Use Permits?

Gotta watch it sometimes. I know a fellow that got what he thought was a Chitina permit at Fred Meyer only to find out when he got on the Copper that it was a Kenai permit. Apparently, Freddies in Anchorage doesn't carry the Chitina cards.

~tr

[southeastgirl]

A little more information is the permit my friend was talking about if for the whole house. Pouring through some of the regs it does say that permits are available upon request for 500 fish for 2 person household. I was told to go to the DMV in Palmer (DMV for fishing permit??) and that it was something that came from the forest service.

[gr8fl]

hmmm...DMV & the Forest Service? Let me ask you about your friend...no, never mind. Better call Fish & Game and ask them what you need. Don't tell them about your friend. Just call them yourself:

Palmer Office:
Fish & Game Dept
1800 Glenn Hwy Ste 4 · Palmer
(907) 746-6300

Anchorage Office:
Region 2 - Southcentral
333 Raspberry Road
Anchorage, AK 99518-1599
(907) 267-2257 phone
(907) 267-2433 fax

The Subsistence Permit is for the whole household, just as the Personal Use Permit is. And yes, you can petition for up to 500 fish if you show the need.

Please check my Alaska Salmon Dipnetting Links page for more info. I'll add a link to Subsistence Fishing.

~tr

[Bullelkklr]

You can get Chitina and Upper cook inlet Personal Use salmon fishery permits at Freddies on Abott in anchorage. I did last night anyway

There is a difference between the subsistence and personal use permits.

[Rockcrusher]

Subsistance vs. personal use

If one goes to fish and game here in Tok they will say we don't do chitina permits, go to the Tetlin Refuge Center and get one.
Tetlin Refuge a federal entity will issue a Chitina subsistance permit for the waters on the Copper between the McCarthy bridge and 300 yards upstream of Haley Creek. It is different than the state permit, the Subsistance permit allows 60 fish for a family of two or more and additioonal fish for every family member.
It is all a bit confusing and the state and feds don't seem to mind it being that way. It is like the Forty mile caribou hunt, there is a federal area for subsistance and a state opening. One can proxy hunt for someone else on the federal area but not in the state. The state permit actually says no proxy hunting and yet one can proxy hunt, except the Feds call it Designated Hunter not proxy.
I haven't seen anything on this forum on the subsistance dipnetting vs the personal use. The Federal system is supposedly online and most of the federal offices should be able to issue a permit, whether they will or not is a personal choice by the person in the office at the time.

[gr8fl]

Confusion only made possible by Government

Here's a few choice excerpts, and a link to the USFWS Federal Subsistence Regs for Prince William Sound, including the Copper River.

http://alaska.fws.gov/asm/pdf/fishregs11/prince.pdf


~tr

[Akgramps]

What I was told last year at F&G was if you have a Subsistence permit you cannot transport or aid someone that has a personal use permit.
So if you are doing the Subsistence thing North of the bridge, and your buddy shows up with a personal use permit. It would be ilegal to haul him down river and drop him off to dip. Same goes for him driving the boat while you dip on the North side. 2 diffrent types of fisheries so make sure everyone in your group is on the same page.