2018 Yukon River Fall Salmon Fishery News Release # 22 - Subdistrict 5-D Subsistence Fishing Schedule

Districts Affected: Upper Yukon Area

As of August 5, over 51,700 Chinook salmon have been estimated at the sonar project located near Eagle, exceeding the lower end of the escapement goal of 42,500 fish. Passage rates are declining, but still above 1,000 Chinook salmon a day; these fish in the tail end of the run will increase escapement towards the upper end of the goal of 55,000 fish and help meet harvest share objectives.

08/07/2018

Last edited 01/25/2022

Contact Information

Jeff Estensen, Area Management Biologist

Christy Gleason, Assistant Area Management Biologist

Lower Yukon Area Office

(907) 949-1320

Fred Bue, Yukon Area Inseason Manager

Fairbanks Fish and Wildlife Field Office

(907) 455-1849 or (800) 267-3997

Toll free fishing schedule hotline: (866) 479-7387

Fishing schedule hotline in Fairbanks: 459-7387

The 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. Consistent with the transition to fall season management, the following management actions will occur in Subdistrict 5-D (see map below).

Subdistrict 5-D Lower & Middle (from an ADF&G regulatory marker two miles downstream of Waldron Creek upstream to 22 Mile Slough, and including all adjacent tributaries, which includes the communities of Stevens Village, Beaver, Venetie, Chalkyitsik, and Fort Yukon):

Fishing is currently closed. Effective 10 a.m. Thursday, August 9, subsistence fishing will be open 24 hours per day, 7 days per week for the fall season. Subsistence fishermen may use 7.5-inch or smaller mesh size set gillnets and fish wheels.

Subdistrict 5-D Upper (from 22 Mile Slough upstream to the U.S./Canada border, and including all adjacent tributaries, which includes the communities of Circle and Eagle):

Subsistence fishing is currently closed and will open for one 3.5-day period with 6-inch or smaller mesh gillnets and fish wheels from 10 a.m. Thursday, August 9 to 10 p.m. Sunday, August 12.

Effective 10 a.m. Thursday, August 16, subsistence fishing will open for 24 hours per day, 7 days per week for the fall season. Subsistence fishermen may use 7.5-inch or smaller mesh size set gillnets and fish wheels.

A fishing permit is required for all species from the western most tip of Garnet Island upstream to the mouth of Dall River (Dalton Highway bridge area), and from the upstream mouth of 22 Mile Slough to the U.S./Canada border. Subsistence fishermen outside of the permit areas are encouraged to fill out their subsistence salmon catch calendars. Calendars and subsistence fishing permits are available from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game in Fairbanks.

During subsistence salmon fishing closures, fish wheels may not be operated and gillnets with a mesh size greater than four inches must be removed from the water.

News releases and fishery information will be shared on Facebook at:

www.facebook.com/YukonRiverFishingADFG.

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