Federal Subsistence Board News

Districts Affected: Upper Yukon AreaThe 2019 fall chum salmon projection, based on inseason assessment, 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 533,000 fish through August 19 which is near the historical median.

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 505,000 through August 18 which appears to be near the historical median. The fall chum salmon that entered the Yukon River on August 1 are expected to be near Tanana/Huslia August 20, Rampart August 22, 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 The second pulse of primarily fall chum salmon that peaked in the lower river projects on August 15 are expected to be near Anvik August 23, near Galena August 29, Tanana/Huslia September 3, Rampart September 5, Fort Yukon September 13, and the Canadian border around September 23. Fall chum salmon from this group would be in the Tanana River near Manley around September 15 and Fairbanks September 20.

Districts Affected: Lower Yukon AreaDistrict 1 Commercial Fishing:Commercial fishing will be open for one period in District 1, from 12:00 p.m. noon until 8:00 p.m. Monday, August 19. This will be an 8-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 4:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. Sunday, August 18. 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 AreaThe Department is announcing an extension to the commercial whitefish fishery. Typically, whitefish are commercially harvested starting in September. At the request of the processor, commercial fishing for whitefish will begin in August. The timing of the fishery this year is experimental, to see if some harvest can occur during lulls in salmon passage. Fishermen must have a 2019 F04B (Fresh Water Fish Set gillnet) permit to participate in the commercial whitefish fishery. The 2019 harvest quota for whitefish (Bering and least cisco) is 35,000 fish. Due to the shore-based nature of fishing for whitefish, longer fishing periods are required in order to catch fish on tides. Therefore, commercial whitefish fishing will be conducted concurrent with subsistence fishing openings but will be closed during commercial salmon periods.

Districts Affected: Lower Yukon AreaThe 2019 fall chum salmon preseason projection, based on the summer chum to fall chum salmon relationship, is a range of 700,000-800,000 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 through August 14 is estimated to be 330,000 fish and appears to be near the historical median.

Districts Affected: Lower Yukon AreaThe 2019 fall chum salmon preseason projection, based on the summer chum to fall chum salmon relationship, is a range of 700,000-800,000 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 307,000 through August 12 which appears to be near the historical median.

SITKA, Alaska – Sitka District Ranger Perry Edwards, under authority delegated by the Federal Subsistence Board, is closing the Bear Mountain Zone in Unit 4 to the harvest of mountain goats. The closure will be effective Thursday, August 15, 2019, at 11:59 p.m. and will remain in effect through the rest of the 2019 season which ends December 31. 

Districts Affected: Lower Yukon AreaThe 2019 fall chum salmon preseason projection, based on the summer chum to fall chum salmon relationship, is a range of 700,000-800,000 fish. Run sizes within this range are expected to provide for escapement, subsistence needs, and a limited commercial fishery. The first fall chum salmon pulse entered the Yukon River between July 31 and August 5 and the estimated abundance was 180,000 fish. Adjusting for the overlap of summer chum salmon into the fall season, the fall chum salmon run is estimated to be 300,000 through August 10 which appears to be near the historical median.

Districts Affected: Upper Yukon AreaThe 2019 fall chum salmon preseason projection, based on the summer chum to fall chum salmon relationship, has been revised to a range of 700,000-800,000 fish. Run sizes within this range are expected to provide for escapement, subsistence needs, and a limited commercial fishery. The first fall chum salmon pulse began entering the Yukon River on August 3 and is continuing to pass the mainstem sonar near the community of Pilot Station. The fall chum salmon that entered in the first pulse are anticipated to reach Stevens Village beginning August 27, Fort Yukon beginning September 2, Circle beginning September 4, and the Canadian Border beginning September 12.