Fishing license sales are on the rise

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Sportfishing license sales in Alaska declined after 2019, but this year the Alaska Department of Fish and Game says it’s seeing a turn for the better.

“2019 was crazy too, but I would say this spring is busier,” said Fish and Wildlife Technician Nicholas Ellickson. “A lot of the guides we talk to that are registering for the season have been saying they are already booked out. So I think it’s going to be a really good season on the water.”

Ellickson said this year, online sales are up among residents and nonresidents alike which is encouraging since the pandemic hurt license sales in 2020. Each year, Fish and Game has the potential to sell over 1 million licenses to travelers from the cruise ship industry, but since large cruise ships did no travel to Alaska in 2020 this hurt the license sales.

“Last year was super tough, we didn’t see many non-residents fishing at all,” Ellickson said. “And a lot of this revenue that’s generated by sportfishing licenses goes towards the management of the fisheries.”

A resident annual sportfishing license costs $20, and a nonresident annual sportfishing license costs $100.

On Wednesday, Fish and Game will host an online fishing forum to help people get a license or permit. The forum starts at 7 p.m.

To attend the online fishing forum click here.

To see a full list of prices, click here.

Fishing licenses can be purchased online here.