Federal Subsistence Board News

Districts Affected: Upper Yukon AreaThis year’s fall chum salmon run fell below the 300,000 fish threshold needed to allow subsistence fishing. In accordance with the Yukon River Fall Chum Salmon Management Plan, subsistence fishing for fall chum salmon has been closed for most of the season. As the end of the 2020 fall chum salmon run is essentially complete in Subdistricts 4-B and 4-C, subsistence fishing restrictions are being relaxed to provide fishing opportunity for coho salmon and other fish species.

Districts Affected: Upper Yukon AreaThis year’s fall chum salmon run fell below the 300,000 fish threshold needed to allow subsistence fishing. In accordance with the Yukon River Fall Chum Salmon Management Plan, subsistence fishing for fall chum salmon has been closed for most of the season. Based on run timing, current low catches at both the Lower Yukon and Mountain Village test fisheries, and low passage numbers at the mainstem sonar near Pilot Station, the 2020 fall chum salmon run is essentially complete. At this time subsistence fishing restrictions are being relaxed to provide fishing opportunity for coho salmon and other fish species.

SITKA, Alaska – Sitka District Ranger Perry Edwards, under authority delegated by the Federal Subsistence Board, is closing the Bear Mountain and Cold Storage Zones to the harvest of mountain goats. The closure will be effective Thursday, September 10, 2020 at 11:59 p.m. and will remain in effect through the rest of the 2020 season, which ends December 31. 

Districts Affected: Yukon AreaThe 2020 fall chum salmon inseason projection is for a run size of near 200,000 fish and is currently tracking as the lowest run size on record. Using genetic analysis on all chum salmon that have passed the mainstem sonar site operated near Pilot Station since July 19, it is estimated that 189,000 fall chum salmon have entered the Yukon River as of September 7. The projected abundance is below the level needed to meet the drainagewide escapement goal of 300,000-600,000 fall chum salmon, tributary escapement goals, and Canadian treaty objectives (see management strategies below). Fall chum salmon are typically dominated by age-4 fish however, that age class produced by the 2016 parent year, has shown extremely poor survival in chum salmon runs throughout the state.

Districts Affected: Lower Yukon AreaThis year’s fall chum salmon run fell below the 300,000 fish threshold needed to allow subsistence fishing. In accordance with the Yukon River Fall Chum Salmon Management Plan, subsistence fishing for fall chum salmon has been closed for most of the season. Based on run timing, current low catches at both the Lower Yukon and Mountain Village test fisheries, and low passage numbers at the mainstem sonar near Pilot Station, the 2020 fall chum salmon run is essentially complete. At this time subsistence fishing restrictions are being relaxed to provide fishing opportunity for coho salmon and other fish species.

The Federal Subsistence Board is accepting applications through February 15, 2021 to fill seats on the 10 Subsistence Regional Advisory Councils (Councils). Council membership appointments are typically for 3-year terms. There are approximately 38 seats open for appointment among all Councils.

These FAQs were originally released July 31, 2020. In this version, the answer to Question #5 has been revised. On July 16, 2020, the Federal Subsistence Board (Board) adopted Temporary Wildlife Special Action WSA20-03 with modification to close the Federal public lands that are open to Federal subsistence hunting in Units 13A and 13B to moose and caribou hunting by non-Federally qualified users for the 2020-2021 and 2021-2022 seasons.  This factsheet answers common questions and concerns about the closure.

Districts Affected: Yukon AreaThe 2020 fall chum salmon inseason projection is for a run size of less than 300,000 fish and is currently tracking as the lowest run size on record. Using genetic analysis on all chum salmon that have passed the mainstem sonar site operated near Pilot Station since July 19, it is estimated that 174,000 fall chum salmon have entered the Yukon River as of August 30. The projected abundance is below the level needed to meet the drainagewide escapement goal of 300,000-600,000 fall chum salmon, tributary escapement goals, and Canadian treaty objectives (see management strategies below). Fall chum salmon are typically dominated by age-4 fish however, that age class produced by the 2016 parent year, has shown extremely poor survival in chum salmon runs throughout the state.

Districts Affected: Upper Yukon AreaSubsistence fishing for fall chum salmon remains closed within the entire Yukon Area because the 2020 fall chum salmon run projection remains below the 300,000 fish needed to allow subsistence fishing following the Yukon River Fall Chum Salmon Management Plan. To provide more subsistence fishing opportunity on fish bound for the Tanana River, subsistence fishermen may use selective gear (live-release (manned) fish wheels and dip nets) to target other salmon and non-salmon fish species. All fall chum salmon caught using the selective gear must be released alive immediately and bypass any livebox on a fish wheel.

Districts Affected: Upper Yukon AreaSubsistence fishing for fall chum salmon remains closed within the entire Yukon Area because the 2020 fall chum salmon run is projected to be less than the 300,000 fish needed to allow subsistence fishing according to the Yukon River Fall Chum Salmon Management Plan. To provide more subsistence fishing opportunity, subsistence fishermen may use selective gear (hook and line, live-release (manned) fish wheels and dip nets) to target other salmon and non-salmon fish species. All fall chum salmon caught using the selective gear must be released alive immediately and bypass any livebox on a fish wheel.