Federal Subsistence Board News

Districts Affected: Yukon AreaAs of July 16, the Chinook and summer chum salmon runs are nearly complete in the lower river, and management will transition to fall season. The projected season total passage at the Pilot Station sonar is approximately 161,000 Chinook salmon. The Chinook salmon run appears to have normal run timing, which indicates that the drainage-wide run (which would include harvest and escapement of fish below the sonar) may likely come in towards the lower end of the preseason projection range of 173,000 to 251,000 fish (Figure 1). As of July 16, the first, second and third pulses of Chinook salmon have cleared most districts and should be passing through Subdistrict 5-D or traveling up the Tanana River. A fourth pulse of Chinook salmon should be approaching Subdistricts 5-ABC. As of July 16, the cumulative Chinook salmon passage at the sonar project near Eagle is approximately 7,200, which is below the historical average of approximately 9,000 fish for this date.

Districts Affected: Lower Yukon AreaThe 2018 fall chum salmon preseason run projection is for a run size of 700,000 to 900,000 fish. This level of abundance is anticipated to be sufficient to meet escapement and subsistence needs and provide a surplus for commercial and personal use purposes. A mixture of both summer chum and fall chum salmon are currently entering the Yukon River. Commercial fishing in the lower river at this time will likely harvest a mixture of both stocks.

District 1 Commercial Fishing:Commercial fishing is open during the summer season for 9 hours each day from 6 p.m. until 3 a.m. the following day with 6-inch or smaller mesh gillnets. The last summer season commercial period in District 1 will be from 6 p.m. Saturday, July 14 until 3 a.m. Sunday, July 15.

Districts Affected: Lower Yukon AreaThe 2018 fall chum salmon preseason run projection, based on the summer chum to fall chum salmon relationship, is for a run size of 700,000 to 900,000 fish. This level of abundance is anticipated to be sufficient to meet escapement and subsistence needs and provide a surplus for commercial and personal use purposes.

The Federal In-season Manager, pursuant to delegated authority from the Federal Subsistence Board under ANILCA Title VIII section 816, will issue an emergency special action (8-KS-01-18) to close fishing for Chinook Salmon to all users, non-federal and Federally qualified users, in Federal public waters of the Chignik River drainage, effective 12:01 a.m. Friday July 13. This action is necessary to ensure the continued viability of the Chignik River Chinook Salmon population. This action prohibits all fishing for Chinook Salmon and they may not be retained or possessed. Chinook Salmon accidentally caught while fishing for other species may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately.

The Federal Subsistence Board (Board) will hold a teleconference on July 17, 2018 beginning at 9:00 a.m. to take action on Temporary Wildlife Special Action Request WSA18-01. Temporary Special Action Request WSA18-01, submitted by the Kodiak/Aleutians Subsistence Regional Advisory Council, requests the following from the Board: 

Districts Affected: Lower Yukon AreaThe Yukon River Drainage Fall Chum Salmon Management Plan goes into effect in District 1 beginning July 16. Upriver management districts and subdistricts will switch to fall season management as the fall chum salmon migration reaches those areas. The ADF&G field office located in Emmonak will continue to be open on Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Districts Affected: Yukon AreaThe estimated Chinook salmon passage at the Pilot Station sonar is below average. The Chinook salmon run appears to have normal run timing, which indicates that the drainage-wide run will likely come in below the lower end of the preseason projection range of 173,000 to 251,000 fish (Figure 1). The projected season total passage at the Pilot Station sonar is approximately 165,000 Chinook salmon. The summer chum salmon run is also below average and will likely come in below the preseason forecast of 2.5 million fish with an inseason projection of approximately 1.7 million fish. As of July 8 at the Pilot Station sonar project, the Chinook salmon run is approximately 93% complete and the summer chum run is approximately 89% complete. The Eagle sonar recently began operations and is counting small numbers of early Chinook salmon.

Districts Affected: Upper Yukon AreaThis news release relaxes subsistence and personal use fishing to the regulatory schedule and opens commercial fishing to target summer chum salmon.Commercial fishermen should coordinate with the buyer on a daily basis regarding scheduling deliveries. All salmon harvested during commercial fishing operations must be recorded on a fish ticket at the time of sale. Chinook salmon may not be sold. All Chinook salmon kept for personal use must be recorded on the fish ticket. Processors, catcher-sellers, or direct marketers should notify the department of their intent to operate by contacting the Fairbanks office at 459-7274.

Districts Affected: Upper Yukon AreaSubsistence fishing periods are returning to the regulatory schedule for the remainder of the Chinook salmon run in order to spread out harvest and allow fish to travel upriver. Fishermen should expect further announcements regarding fishing schedules for fall species.