Chitina Subdistrict Federal Subsistence Fishery Schedule Announced

This continuous fishing schedule for the Chitina Subdistrict is a departure from the past management practice of periodically closing and re-opening the Federal subsistence fishery to coincide with the schedule of the State personal use fishery of the subdistrict. The historical Federal harvest in this subdistrict has been at levels that do not pose a conservation concern; therefore, providing additional harvest opportunity to Federally qualified users is warranted. The delayed opening of the Chitina Subdistrict until June 1 is being implemented as a precautionary measure to minimize impact to early season salmon runs bound for upriver spawning areas and harvest locations.

Prior to taking this management action, staff of Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve consulted with the Southcentral Alaska Subsistence Regional Advisory Council, the Eastern Interior Alaska Subsistence Regional Advisory Council, the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park Subsistence Resource Commission, and local management biologists of the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. The action is consistent with specific recommendations from the Subsistence Resource Commission and the Regional Advisory Councils.

A Federal permit is required to participate in the fisheries under Federal regulations. These fisheries are only open to Federally qualified subsistence users having customary and traditional use of salmon in each subdistrict. Federal permits may be obtained without charge from the National Park Service offices in Copper Center, Slana, Chitina, or Kennecott. They are also available at the Tetlin National Wildlife Refuge office in Tok.

The National Park Service office in Copper Center provides a recorded message phone with the most current fishing schedule. The recorded message is available 24-hours daily. The phone number is (907) 822-7256. Subsistence users are encouraged to call this number prior to fishing to determine if amendments have been made to previously announced fishing schedules.

For additional information, please contact Dave Sarafin, Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve in Copper Center. Phone (907-822-5234) Email: dave_sarafin@nps.gov

Additional information on the Federal Subsistence Management Program may be found on the web at www.doi.gov/subsistence or by visiting www.facebook.com/subsistencealaska.

Missing out on the latest Federal subsistence issues? If you’d like to receive emails and notifications on the Federal Subsistence Management Program you may subscribe for regular updates by emailing fws-fsb-subsistence-request@lists.fws.gov.

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