The Fishing Report: Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s new mobile app

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (KTUU) - Earlier this year the Alaska Department of Fish and Game released a mobile app that allows Alaskans to carry fishing and hunting licenses legally on your phone.

The app not only allows residents to carry any fishing and fishing licenses but also provides a map with e-regulations, allowing the user to click on or search specific waterways throughout the state of Alaska and read the most up-to-date regulations at any given time. Department Statewide Communication Coordinator Ryan Ragan said that so far the app has been going swimmingly.

“The response thus far — and again, we released this mobile app earlier this year — has exceeded even our expectations,” Ragan said. “Currently, we have got around 50,000 downloads for the ADFG mobile app.”

50,000 downloads in under a year is a very big number for an initial release of a mobile app. The application is backed by iOS and Android and is free for all users. Residents only need to log in to their MyAlaska account or Alaska Department of Fish and Game account.

While the app is very user-friendly and simple to use, it’s still a work in progress and the department is welcoming feedback so they can make it the most helpful piece of software possible. While it is legal to carry your licenses in digital form on your phone, phones can die or get wet.

“We do encourage people to just consider when they go out into the field if they do have that mobile app and their licenses and permits on their phone you still might want to have a backup resource paper hard copy within your close proximity in the event something happens to your phone,” said Ragan.

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