The Kenai Silver Salmon Derby is dubbed “the world’s most responsible fishing derby.” Unlike some derbies that compete for the largest fish, this one awards prizes on a “magic weight” that’s randomly generated at the end of each day by spinning a wheel.
One of the derby’s goals is to eliminate selective fishing that can injure or kill Kenai River salmon. It also aims to raise money for improvements to river banks and riparian zones along the river.
The derby, which began eight years ago, is hosted by the Kenai Chamber of Commerce and Visitor Center and the city of Kenai.
“From the very beginning it was always supposed to be, one, Kenai’s only derby, and then, two, it was always with the goal that the funds for it weren’t for any personal gain," said Samantha Springer, the Kenai Chamber’s executive director. "It’s a partnership between the chamber and the city so we can redirect those funds to something that’s useful.”
Last year, the derby raised over $10,000 for restoration projects, which partially funded design efforts on a fish passage culvert project on Kenai’s Cemetery Creek. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service identified that the creek, which flows into Cook Inlet, is salmon habitat.
Kenai City Manager Terry Eubank says the creek has the largest concentration of king salmon and silver smolt in the lower Kenai River watershed.
“Every time we’re able to do one of these restoration projects, especially these culvert projects, it expands the amount of habitat for these juvenile salmon, so I think it’s really important," Eubank said. "The fact that Cemetery Creek had significant numbers of chinook salmon is really relevant, because chinook is a major species in decline on the Kenai River.”
The city is also partnering with the Kenaitze Indian Tribe to locate funding for the million-dollar project. Eubank says the tribe recently applied for a grant that would fund the project design’s completion and construction. He says proceeds from the salmon derby are also helpful, and they could fund future projects, including a potential fish culvert enhancement project on South Spruce Street.
Additionally, Eubank says the derby is beneficial to Kenai’s economy. Although geared toward locals, it does attract visitors. Eubank says the derby also helps to expand the end of summer shoulder season.
“People staying at the hotels, people eating at our restaurants. The simple fact that people have to come into town here to go to the weigh stations, that all brings commerce into our stores and our businesses, and that’s important to the city," he said. "The city’s biggest revenue stream is sales tax.”
Since its first go-around in 2016, Eubank says participating in the derby has become a tradition for many families on the Kenai.
“The fish are incredibly important to our culture, our history and our economy," Eubank said. "Whether it's commercial fishing, whether that’s sport fishing, whether that’s now the personal-use fishery, the Kenai River and the salmon of the Kenai River are the fabric of Kenai.”
The Kenai Silver Salmon Derby runs through Sunday. Daily prizes are $100 for adults and $50 for youth. The grand prize is $5,000 for adults and $1,000 for youth.
Tickets are $10 per day or $50 for the entire tournament. They’re sold at the Kenai Chamber of Commerce, Three Bears in Kenai or online. There, you can also view a list of derby rules.
