Biologists: Alaska king salmon woes tied to ocean

ANCHORAGE (AP) — Poor king salmon returns have state biologists limiting fishing throughout Alaska and biologists have their eyes on the ocean as the problem.

“We're in a period of low abundance and low returns, statewide, and whether it's from Southeast, Copper River, Cook Inlet, Kodiak, Nushagak, Yukon, we're just in this period of low productivity in the ocean,” said Ricky Gease, a biologist and director of the Kenai River Sportfishing Association.

The widespread failure indicates the problem is not in freshwater, said biologist Tom Vania, Cook Inlet regional coordinator for the Alaska Depa...