Federal Subsistence Board News

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2020 Yukon River Salmon Summer Fishery Announcement #30 Summer Update # 5, Yukon Area Salmon Fishery

07/07/2020

Districts Affected: Yukon AreaBy this time, the majority of the Chinook salmon run has entered the lower river, and current projections for the end of season drainage-wide run size at Pilot Station Sonar is approximately 150,000 Chinook salmon, which is near the lower end of the preseason forecast (Figure 1). A run of this size should meet escapement goals, but with less surplus for harvest, so fishermen should adjust their harvest goals to be about half of what they harvested last year.

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2020 Yukon River Salmon Summer Fishery Announcement #29 Subdistricts 5-A, 5-B, and 5-C Subsistence Fishing Schedule

07/07/2020

Districts Affected: Upper Yukon AreaIn order to limit drainage-wide subsistence harvests to levels of about half what they were last year, a conservative management approach is being taken. A single 24-hour fishing period in Subdistricts 5-A, 5-B, and 5-C is being cancelled on the middle part of the run, in order to allow fish to pass through to spawning grounds.

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2020 Yukon River Salmon Summer Fishery Announcement #27 District 4 and Koyukuk River Subsistence Fishing Schedule

07/06/2020

Districts Affected: Upper Yukon AreaBy this time, the majority of the Chinook salmon run has entered the river, and the drainage-wide run size is projected to be around 150,000 fish. A run of this size should meet escapement goals, but surplus for harvest is limited, so fishermen should adjust their Chinook salmon goals to about half of what they harvested last year. Due to unseasonably high water, early closures, and poor weather, fishing effort and catch efficiency has been reported as very low for most of the season. Therefore, in order to allow fishermen opportunity to catch some Chinook salmon in the presence of large numbers of chum salmon, gillnet restrictions are being relaxed to a maximum mesh size of 7.5-inch or smaller mesh. Subsistence fishing will remain on the half regulatory schedule of two 24-hour periods per week.

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Department of the Interior bison seal set against green mountainous background.

2020 Yukon River Salmon Summer Fishery Announcement #26 South Coastal District, Districts 1, 2, and 3 and Innoko River Subsistence Fishing Schedule

07/06/2020

Districts Affected: Lower Yukon AreaBy this time, the majority of the Chinook salmon run has entered the river, and the drainage-wide run size is projected to be around 150,000 fish. A run of this size should meet escapement goals, but surplus for harvest is limited, so fishermen should adjust their Chinook salmon goals to about half of what they harvested last year. Due to unseasonably high water, early closures, and poor weather, fishing effort and catch efficiency has been reported as very low for most of the season. Therefore, in order to allow fishermen opportunity to catch some Chinook salmon in the presence of large numbers of chum salmon, gillnet restrictions are being relaxed to a maximum mesh size of 7.5-inch or smaller mesh.

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Department of the Interior bison seal set against green mountainous background.

2020 Yukon River Salmon Summer Fishery Announcement #24 Districts 2 and 3 Subsistence Fishing Schedule

07/02/2020

Districts Affected: Lower Yukon AreaThe current counts of Chinook salmon at Pilot Station sonar indicate the run size is projected to meet escapement goals and support some harvest. Poor weather and fishing conditions may be limiting harvests of salmon at this time. To provide opportunity for summer chum and limited Chinook salmon harvest, the fishing schedule is being relaxed to the full regulatory schedule with 6-inch or smaller mesh gillnets. Subsistence fishermen may continue to use dipnets and beach seines during gillnet openings and all salmon may be retained.

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