Federal Subsistence Board News

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Plans Announced for 2020 Federal Subsistence Hunt of Chisana Caribou Herd

08/03/2020

COPPER CENTER, AK – This week plans for the 2020 federal subsistence hunt for the Chisana caribou herd were announced by Wrangell-St. Elias Superintendent Ben Bobowski, the designated federal manager for the hunt. The Federal Subsistence Board authorized a limited harvest from the Chisana caribou herd at its January 2012 meeting. 

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Federal Subsistence Board takes action on Emergency Wildlife Special Action Request WSA19-15 (Unit 21D moose)

07/31/2020

The Federal Subsistence Board (Board) voted to defer WSA19-15, which requested an emergency moose season for the community of Koyukuk in Unit 21D. The Board voted to defer WSA19-15 until well-defined criteria and guidance are developed to determine how and when food security concerns become a demonstrable and imminent threat to public safety. Federal subsistence regulations authorize the Board, in emergency situations, to open public lands for the taking of wildlife for subsistence uses, under certain circumstances, including for public safety reasons.

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Changes in Federal Moose and Caribou Hunting Regulations in Unit 13 Frequently asked questions on closure of Federal public lands to non-Federally qualified users.

07/31/2020

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.

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Federal subsistence goat hunting season to close in a portion of Unit 5A

07/30/2020

YAKUTAT, Alaska - USDA Forest Service Yakutat District Ranger Lee Benson, under authority delegated by the Federal Subsistence Board, is closing the 2020 Federal subsistence mountain goat hunting season for a portion of Unit 5A. The closure will be effective Friday, July 31, 2020, at 11:59 p.m., and will remain in effect until January 31, 2021.

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2020 Yukon River Salmon Fall Fishery Announcement #5 District 4 Subsistence Fishing Schedule

07/30/2020

Districts Affected: Upper Yukon AreaThe 2020 fall chum salmon preseason projection is for a run size of less than 450,000 fish. This level of abundance is not likely to meet escapement goals and treaty objectives. The 2016 parent year that produced this year’s age- four age class has shown exceptionally poor survival in all chum salmon runs in all western Alaska. Without the age-four fish that typically dominate a fall chum salmon run, the overall return is expected to be much lower than forecasted. Consequently, the subsistence fishing schedule is being reduced to limit the harvest of fall chum salmon and to allow more fall chum salmon to reach their spawning areas.

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2020 Yukon River Salmon Fall Fishery Announcement #4 Coastal District and Districts 1-3 Subsistence Fishing Schedule

07/29/2020

Districts Affected: Lower Yukon AreaThe 2020 fall chum salmon preseason projection is for a run size of less than 450,000 fish. This level of abundance is not likely to meet escapement goals and treaty objectives. The 2016 parent year that produced this year’s age- four age class has shown exceptionally poor survival in all chum salmon runs in all western Alaska. Without the age-four fish that typically dominate a fall chum salmon run, the overall return is expected to be much lower than forecasted. Consequently, the subsistence fishing schedule is being reduced to half periods to limit the harvest of fall chum salmon and to allow more fall chum salmon to reach their spawning areas.

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BLM to Open Fall Fortymile Caribou Hunt on Aug. 1

07/28/2020

FAIRBANKS, AK — The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) Eastern Interior Field Office, under authority delegated by the Federal Subsistence Board, will open caribou hunting on federal public lands in Units 20E, 25C and 20F on Aug. 1, 2020, to provide opportunities for subsistence. The hunt, which is limited to qualified rural residents, includes federal public lands accessible from the Steese and Taylor highways.

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2020 Yukon River Salmon Fall Fishery Announcement #3 Fall Update # 2, Yukon Area Salmon Fishery

07/28/2020

Districts Affected: Yukon AreaThe 2020 fall chum salmon preseason projection, based on the relationship between summer chum and fall chum salmon runs, is for a run size of less than 450,000 fish. Adjustments to the projection may occur, particularly if the summer chum salmon run extends into the fall season as was observed in 2019. Additionally, the age composition from the Lower Yukon Test Fishery (LYTF) will be important to determine if the age proportions are different than expected given that the summer chum salmon return of age-4 fish was extremely weak.

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2020 Yukon River Salmon Summer Fishery Announcement #37 District 5 Subsistence Fishing Schedule

07/28/2020

Districts Affected: Upper Yukon AreaDespite restrictive actions taken throughout the Yukon River and reported low subsistence harvests of Chinook salmon, poorer than expected fish passage at the Eagle sonar warrants a closure for fishing in District 5. Typically, the midpoint of the run at the Eagle sonar for late runs is around July 28, and current cumulative counts are less than half the average seen for this time of year. Current projections indicate the lower end of the spawning escapement objective in Canada (42,500-55,000) may not be met. Therefore, it is imperative that all Chinook salmon moving through District 5 escape to the spawning grounds.

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