Pick Up Your Federal Subsistence Copper River Fishing Permits Now. The Salmon Will Be Here Soon

 Information Now Available for Federal Subsistence Fishing Permits in the Upper Copper River 

The Copper River in winter. (Photo by Country Journal) 

Federal Subsistence Fishing in the Upper Copper River Opens May 15

Permits Available for Pick Up Daily in Copper Center Visitor Center

Beginning May 13 and Slana Ranger Station Beginning May 24

 

Pre-season Permit Events Scheduled for May 7 & May 10 at Copper Center Visitor Center

Call ahead (907-822-7284) to request your permit, beginning April 29

 

Events Scheduled for McCarthy & Chitina

Call ahead (907-822-7284) to request your permit, beginning April 29 

Permits available for pick up in McCarthy on May 23 only

Permits available for pick up in Chitina on May 25 only

 

NOTICE FROM NATIONAL PARK SERVICE

MONDAY, APRIL 29TH, 2024 

 

COPPER CENTER, AK – The park is offering several events for qualified local rural residents to pick up their permits. These events will be in Copper Center, McCarthy, Chitina, and are detailed below.

 

Federal subsistence fishing in the Upper Copper River District opens on May 15. This fishing opportunity is available to qualified local rural residents and a federal permit is required. The permit is a household permit, and only one permit will be issued per household for a given subdistrict. Subsistence fish wheels should be registered by the owner through either the National Park Service or the Glennallen office of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

 

Pre-Season Permit Issuance Events at Copper Center Visitor Center: May 7 and 10

On Tuesday, May 7, and Friday, May 10, from 4:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. applicants will be able to pick up permits and register fish wheels at the Copper Center Visitor Center, Mile 106.8 Richardson Highway. Applicants should call ahead to 907-822-7284 to request a permit. To reduce wait times and expedite permit issuance, permits will be printed in advance and available for pick up with proper identification. The Visitor Center doors will only be open to permittees, not general visitors. For more information about the events, call 907-822-7284.

 

If you’re unable to attend these events, permits will be available at the locations listed below. The permitting process varies by location as follows:

• Copper Center Visitor Center:
• Beginning May 13 and throughout the season, permits will be available for pick up at the Copper Center Visitor Center between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., seven days a week.
• Walk-ins are welcome, but calling ahead is strongly encouraged to reduce wait times.  Please call 907-822-7250 for permits starting on May 13. Note that permits requested late in the day may not be available for pick up until the following day.
• Fish wheels may be registered at the time of picking up fishing permits or at the Glennallen office of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

 

• Slana Ranger Station, 907-822-7401:
• Fishing permits and fish wheel registration will be available at the Slana Ranger Station beginning May 24 between 9:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., seven days a week.
• Applicants do not need to call ahead at this location.

 

• Chitina Ranger Station:
• Permits will be available at the Chitina Ranger Station only on Saturday, May 25, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• Applicants should call ahead to the Subsistence Program at 907-822-7284 to request their permit(s) or fish wheel registration prior to May 23.
• Due to limited staffing availability, if you miss the event on May 25, applicants should make plans to pick up permits and register fish wheels at the Copper Center Visitor Center (see above for more information).

 

• Kennecott-McCarthy area:
• Permits will be available in the Kennecott-McCarthy area on May 23 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the McCarthy Mail Shack and from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the McCarthy Road Information Station at Mile 59.
• Applicants should call ahead to the Subsistence Program at 907-822-7284 to request their permit(s) or fish wheel registration prior to May 23.
• Due to limited staffing availability, if you miss the event on May 23, applicants should make plans to pick up permits and register fish wheels at the Copper Center Visitor Center (see above for more information).

 

• Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge Headquarters (Tok), 907-883-5312
• Permits will be available at the Tetlin NWR office between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, excluding federal holidays.
• Applicants do not need to call ahead at this location.
• Fish wheel registration is not available at the Tetlin NWR office. Please plan to register your fish wheel in Slana, Copper Center, or Glennallen.

 

Eligibility Requirements:

For all locations and events listed above, a government-issued photo ID (such as a driver’s license) and additional proof of the physical address of your primary residence is required when you come to get a permit. Documentation of physical address can include a voter registration card or a recent utility bill listing your physical address.

 

Permit applicants should be federally qualified subsistence users. To be eligible for a permit, your primary permanent residence should be in rural Alaska and your community or area should be listed for the intended species and location in the “Customary & Traditional Use Determination” (C&T) column of the Federal Subsistence Management Regulations Booklet for the Harvest of Fish and Shellfish: https://www.doi.gov/subsistence/fisheries.

 

Rural residents of the following areas and communities are eligible to fish for salmon in the Glennallen Subdistrict: the Prince William Sound Area and residents of Cantwell, Chickaloon, Chisana, Dot Lake, Dry Creek, Healy Lake, Northway, Tanacross, Tetlin, and Tok, and those individuals living along the Alaska Highway from the U.S./Canada border to Dot Lake, along the Tok Cutoff from Tok to Mentasta Pass, and along the Nabesna Road.

 

Rural residents of the following areas and communities are eligible to fish for salmon in the Chitina Subdistrict:  Cantwell, Chickaloon, Chisana, Chistochina, Chitina, Copper Center, Dot Lake, Gakona, Gakona Junction, Glennallen, Gulkana, Healy Lake, Kenny Lake, Lower Tonsina, McCarthy, Mentasta Lake, Nabesna, Northway, Paxson-Sourdough, Slana, Tanacross, Tazlina, Tetlin, Tok, and Tonsina, and those individuals living along the Tok Cutoff from Tok to Mentasta Pass, and along the Nabesna Road.

 

Federal subsistence regulations, including customary and traditional use determinations for salmon, are made by the Federal Subsistence Board. If you feel that the regulations do not recognize your community’s customary and traditional use, consider submitting a regulatory change proposal. See also: how-change-fed-subsis-regulations.pdf (doi.gov). The Board is accepting proposals to change regulations through May 21, 2024: Call for Proposals to Change Federal Subsistence Fish and Shellfish Regulations | U.S. Department of the Interior (doi.gov).