Federal Subsistence Board News

Districts Affected: Upper Yukon AreaThe 2017 management strategy is to protect the first pulse of Chinook salmon as they travel to spawning grounds in Canada. Therefore, subsistence salmon fishing is being closed as the first pulse of Chinook salmon travels through Subdistrict 5-D. After the first pulse has passed, fishing will reopen with 6-inch or smaller mesh gillnets and fish wheels on the regulatory schedule.

Districts Affected: Upper Yukon AreaThe 2017 management strategy is to protect the first pulse of Chinook salmon as many of these fish are heading to spawning grounds in Canada. Subsistence salmon fishing to harvest summer chum salmon with selective gear only will be allowed as the first pulse of Chinook salmon travels through the area. Summer chum salmon may be kept, but all Chinook salmon must be released from dip nets, beach seines and fish wheels.   After the first pulse of Chinook salmon has passed, fishing will reopen with 6-inch or smaller mesh gillnets and fish wheels on the regulatory schedule and all salmon may be kept.

Districts Affected: Lower Yukon AreaInseason assessment indicates that nearly 1 million summer chum have entered the Yukon River. In District 1 commercial fishing with selective gear will close and fishing with summer chum gillnets will begin. Two 4-hour commercial periods are being announced with 5.5-inch or smaller mesh gillnets not exceeding 30 meshes in depth. This restricted gear option is to allow for summer chum salmon commercial opportunity that is more efficient than dip nets and beach seines, while also minimizing the incidental harvest of Chinook salmon. All Chinook salmon caught in the commercial fishery must be kept for subsistence use and recorded on your fish ticket. 

Districts Affected: Yukon AreaBased on passage at the Pilot Station sonar and run timing estimates, the 2017 Chinook and summer chum salmon runs appear to be tracking similar to 2016 and are likely to fall within the preseason outlook ranges. Sonar passage estimates over the next several days will continue to improve our run projections for both species. 

The Federal Subsistence Board (Board) rejected Temporary Special Action Request WSA17-04, which requested that Federal public lands in Unit 26A and Unit 26B be closed to caribou hunting by non-Federally qualified users during the July 1, 2017 – June 30, 2018 regulatory year.

The Federal Subsistence Board (Board) has approved Temporary Special Action Request WSA17-03 with modification to close all Federal public lands within a 10 mile wide corridor (5 miles either side) along the Noatak River from the western boundary of Noatak National Preserve upstream to the confluence with the Cutler River; within the northern and southern boundaries of the Eli and Agashashok River drainages, respectively; and within the Squirrel River drainage to caribou hunting except by Federally qualified subsistence users for the July 1, 2017 – June 30, 2018 regulatory year. 

Special Action Number: 09-KS-02-17      Issued at: Kodiak, Alaska. June 21, 2017Effective Date: 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, June 21, 2017, until 11:59 PM Sunday December 31, 2017, Chinook Salmon in the Karluk River drainage may not be retained in the subsistence fishery.

Districts Affected: Upper Yukon AreaCurrent Chinook salmon assessment near the midpoint in the run indicates run strength is similar or better than 2016, therefore subsistence fishing opportunity is warranted. After the first pulse of Chinook salmon has passed through District 4, fishing will open on the regulatory schedule with 7.5-inch or smaller mesh. The intent of this action is to spread harvest across more of the run, providing harvest opportunity sooner after the first pulse than 2016, so fishermen can harvest higher quality summer chum and Chinook salmon while drying conditions are typically better. 

Districts Affected: Upper Yukon AreaThis news release replaces Yukon River Summer Salmon Fishery News Release #15 issued on June 17 by relaxing gillnet restrictions sooner. Current Chinook salmon assessment near the midpoint in the run indicates run strength is similar or better than 2016, therefore subsistence fishing opportunity is warranted. After the first pulse of Chinook salmon has passed through District 4, fishing will open on the regulatory schedule with 7.5-inch or smaller mesh. The intent of this action is to spread harvest across more of the run, providing harvest opportunity sooner after the first pulse than 2016, so fishermen can harvest higher quality summer chum and Chinook salmon while drying conditions are typically better. 

Districts Affected: Lower Yukon AreaCurrent Chinook salmon assessment near the midpoint in the run indicates run strength is similar to 2016 and possibly better, therefore less restrictive subsistence fishing opportunity is warranted. Subsistence fishing is being relaxed to allow fishing with 7.5-inch or smaller mesh gillnets in order to provide harvest opportunity for summer chum and for Chinook salmon. The intent is to spread harvest across more of the run, providing harvest opportunity sooner after the first pulse than 2016, so fishermen can harvest higher quality summer chum and Chinook salmon while drying conditions are typically better.