Anchorage Management Area
Fishing Management

There are three areas managed from the Anchorage Regional Office: 1) Anchorage, 2) North Gulf Coast, and 3) Prince William Sound.

The Anchorage Management Area starts at Ingram Creek at the head of Turnagain Arm, and includes all lakes and streams up to the Eklutna River drainage as well as the salt waters between Ingram and Eklutna.

The North Gulf Coast Management Area includes the salt waters from Cape Fairfield west to Gore Point, and all fresh waters draining into these salt waters, as well as fresh waters south of Milepost 12 on the Seward Highway.

The Prince William Sound Management Area includes all salt waters from Cape Fairfield and east to Cape Suckling, near Cordova, and all fresh waters draining into these salt waters, as well as fresh waters from Haley Creek on south.

These three management areas include nearly 20 communities, from Alaska's largest city, Anchorage, to smaller communities like Chenega, with fewer than 100 residents. The area also includes two military bases, Elmendorf Air Force Base and Fort Richardson Army Post. Although a significant portion of these three management areas is accessible only by boat or airplane, the road system is also well-developed.

Fisheries in this area typically account for nearly a quarter of the angling effort in Southcentral Alaska every year. Anglers will find an incredible diversity of recreational fishing opportunity from the world famous Ship Creek Chinook and coho fisheries in downtown Anchorage, to remote fly-in fishing opportunities in Prince William Sound and the North Gulf Coast. Many of the most popular fisheries, such as those for pink and coho salmon in Anchorage, Valdez, Whittier and Seward are accessible from the road system. There are also over 30 lakes and streams in these management areas historically stocked with hatchery-reared rainbow trout, Arctic char, Arctic grayling, and landlocked salmon for year-round fishing opportunities.

The William Jack Hernandez Sport Fish Hatchery is now the only state fish hatchery located in the Anchorage Management Area. Hatchery-released Chinook, coho, and pink salmon also create saltwater fisheries utilized by anglers throughout the state. Hatchery-enhanced coho salmon returns to Seward and Valdez support world-class saltwater salmon fisheries. The port communities of Seward, Valdez, Cordova, and Whittier all support charter fleets that take clients out to their favorite fishing spots to catch salmon, halibut, lingcod, and rockfish.