Federal Subsistence Board News

Districts Affected: Lower Yukon AreaDistrict 1 Commercial Fishing:Commercial fishing will be open for one period in District 1, from 3:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Tuesday, August 27. This will be a 5-hour commercial fishing period with the use of gillnets 6- inch or smaller mesh size. Chinook salmon may be sold during this commercial opening. All Chinook salmon sold or retained for subsistence during commercial openings must be recorded on a fish ticket.

Districts Affected: Yukon AreaThe 2019 fall chum salmon inseason projection, based on assessment projects is a range of 750,000-850,000 fish. Run sizes within this range are expected to provide for escapement, subsistence needs, and a limited commercial fishery. Adjusting for the overlap of summer chum salmon into the fall season, the fall chum salmon run is estimated to be 591,000 through August 25 which is near the historical median. The fall chum salmon that entered the Yukon River on August 1 are expected to be near Fort Yukon August 30, and the Canadian border around September 9. Fall chum salmon from this group would be in the Tanana River near Manley around September 1 and Fairbanks September 5. 

Districts Affected: Lower Yukon AreaDistrict 1 Commercial Fishing:Commercial fishing will be open for one period in District 1, from 2:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Monday, August 26. This will be a 6-hour commercial fishing period with the use of gillnets 6- inch or smaller mesh size. Chinook salmon may be sold during this commercial opening. All Chinook salmon sold or retained for subsistence during commercial openings must be recorded on a fish ticket.

Districts Affected: Lower Yukon AreaDistrict 2 Commercial Fishing:Commercial fishing will be open for one period in District 2, from 3:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Sunday, August 25. This will be a 5-hour commercial fishing period with the use of gillnets 6-inch or smaller mesh size. Chinook salmon may be sold during this commercial opening. All Chinook salmon sold or retained for subsistence during commercial openings must be recorded on a fish ticket.

Districts Affected: Lower Yukon AreaDistrict 2 Commercial Fishing:The previously announced commercial fishing period for August 23 is being extended by 1 hour. Commercial fishing will be open for one period in District 2, from 2:00 p.m. until 7:00p.m. Friday, August 23. This will be a 5-hour commercial fishing period with the use of gillnets 6-inch or smaller mesh size. Chinook salmon may be sold during these commercial openings. All Chinook salmon sold or retained for subsistence during commercial openings must be recorded on a fish ticket.

Districts Affected: Lower Yukon AreaDistrict 1 Commercial Fishing:Commercial fishing will open with 6-inch or smaller mesh gillnets:Set Net Only Area: 7-hour period on Friday, August 23 from 2:00 p.m. until 9:00 p.m.Remainder of District 1: 5-hour period on Friday, August 23 from 2:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m.

Districts Affected: Lower Yukon AreaDistrict 2 Commercial Fishing:Commercial fishing will be open for one period in District 2, from 2:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. Friday, August 23. This will be a 4-hour commercial fishing period with the use of gillnets 6-inch or smaller mesh size. Chinook salmon may be sold during this commercial opening. All Chinook salmon sold or retained for subsistence during commercial openings must be recorded on a fish ticket.

Districts Affected: Lower Yukon AreaDistrict 1 Commercial Fishing:Commercial fishing will be open for one period in District 1, from 1:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Thursday, August 22. This will be a 7-hour commercial fishing period with the use of gillnets 6- inch or smaller mesh size. Chinook salmon may be sold during this commercial opening. All Chinook salmon sold or retained for subsistence during commercial openings must be recorded on a fish ticket.

During an August 15, 2019 work session, the Federal Subsistence Board (Board) took action on three Temporary Wildlife Special Action Requests. The Board approved WSA19-01 (Unit 18 moose) with modification, approved WSA19-02 (Unit 2 wolf), and approved WSA19-04 (Unit 23 moose) with modification.

Districts Affected: Upper Yukon AreaThe abundance of fall chum salmon in the upper Porcupine River has been low in recent years when compared to other stocks in the Yukon River drainage. Fall chum salmon escapements into the Canadian Fishing Branch River, a tributary of the Porcupine River, have fallen short of meeting the interim management escapement goal (IMEG) of 22,000 to 49,000 fish agreed upon by U.S. and Canadian representatives. Based on the inseason projection of 750,000-850,000 fall chum salmon, it is unlikely the lower end of the IMEG will be achieved in 2019. Like actions taken in recent years to improve fall chum salmon escapement to the spawning grounds in Canada, subsistence salmon fishing in the Alaska portion of the mainstem Porcupine River is being closed. Managers will closely monitor fall chum salmon escapement into the Fishing Branch River throughout the season. If inseason information from the mainstem Porcupine River sonar and from the Fishing Branch River escapement monitoring projects indicates the fall chum salmon goal will be met, the department may relax subsistence fishing restrictions.