Federal Subsistence Board News

Districts Affected: Lower Yukon AreaDue to large fall chum salmon harvest in yesterday’s commercial period in District 1, the processor does not have the capacity to operate in District 2 for this period. Therefore, the commercial period announced for District 2, on July 18, from 6:00 p.m. until 12:00 midnight, is cancelled.

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-01-17) to close subsistence 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. Sunday July 23. 

SITKA, Alaska–The Sitka District Ranger, under authority delegated by the Federal Subsistence Board, is closing the following zones to the harvest of mountain goats; The Pyramids, Slaughter Ridge, Indian River, Bear Mountain, Rosenberg Lake, Lake Irina, Indigo Lake, Necker Bay, Lucky Chance, North Kelp Bay, Kasnyku/Takatz, Whale Bay and South Baranof. The closure will be effective Monday, July 31, 2017 at 11:59 p.m. and will remain in effect through the rest of the 2017 season which ends December 31. 

The Superintendent of Western Arctic National Parklands announced today that the seasons for the Federal Subsistence Dall’s Sheep hunts within portions of Game Management Units (GMUs) 23 and 26A will remain closed for the regulatory year beginning July 1, 2017 and ending on June 30, 2018.  The specific hunt areas affected by this closure are the DeLong Mountains hunt area of Game Management Units 23 and 26A, the Baird Mountains hunt area of Game Management Unit 23, and Unit 23 Remainder (Schwatka Mountains) except for that portion within Gates of the Arctic National Park and Preserve (GAAR). 

The biological escapement goal for Chinook Salmon in the Chignik River drainage is 1,300 to 2,700 fish. The weir count as of July 20 was 702 Chinook Salmon. Based on historical run timing, approximately 75% of the escapement has occurred by July 21, and the current projected total escapement is approximately 900 fish.   The Alaska Department of Fish and Game fishery managers have already implemented restrictions to sport and commercial fisheries.  Effective July 14, the Chignik River sport fishery was restricted to catch and release for Chinook Salmon; effective July 16, the Chignik Bay District commercial fishery was restricted to non-retention of Chinook Salmon greater than 28 inches; effective July 23, the Central District commercial fishery will be restricted to non-retention of Chinook Salmon greater than 28 inches; effective July 23, the Chignik River sport fishery for Chinook Salmon will be closed; effective July 24, the Chignik River Chinook Salmon fishery for non-federally qualified users will be closed. For additional information, contact Federal Inseason Manager Jonathon Gerken at (907) 271-2776.  Additional information about the Federal Subsistence Management Program can be found on the Web at http://alaska.fws.gov/asm/index.cfml.-FSB-

Districts Affected: Lower Yukon AreaFall Season Emergency Orders # 3 and 4                       The 2017 fall chum salmon preseason run projection is for a run size greater than 1.1 million fish. This level of abundance is typically 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.

Districts Affected: Lower Yukon AreaThe 2017 fall chum salmon preseason run projection, based on the summer chum to fall chum salmon relationship, is for a run size greater than 1.1 million fish. This level of abundance is typically sufficient to meet escapement and subsistence needs, and provide a surplus for commercial and personal use purposes. 

Districts Affected: Yukon AreaAs of July 16, the cumulative Chinook salmon passage at the sonar project near Pilot Station was approximately 259,000, which is above the upper end of the drainage-wide preseason outlook of 195,000 fish and above the early year average run timing of 210,000 for this date. A run size of this magnitude has not been observed since 2005. Chinook salmon passage is estimated to be about 99% complete at the Pilot Station sonar as of July 16. Preliminary run timing dates suggest the 2017 Chinook salmon run was approximately three days earlier than historical average run timing.

Districts Affected: Lower Yukon AreaThis news release announces an additional gillnet commercial period for District 2 to target summer chum salmon. Subsistence fishing is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week except closed 2 hours before, during, and 2 hours after commercial periods. 

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 be open for fall season operations. The lower river test fishery will begin fall season operations on July 16, the Mountain Village test fishery on July 18, and the mainstem sonar near Pilot Station will begin reporting all chum salmon as fall chum salmon on July 19.