2019 Yukon River Summer Salmon Fishery News Release #6 Summer Update # 2, Yukon Area Salmon Fishery

The department would like to thank the subsistence fishermen who have shared harvest information. Please track your harvest on subsistence calendars and continue calling the ADF&G office to provide harvest reports.

The inseason salmon management teleconferences hosted by Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association will be held every Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. To participate, call (800) 315-6338, and enter code: YUKON# (98566#).

Assessment Projects

Lower Yukon Test Fishery (LYTF)/ ADF&G and YDFDA

The 8.5-inch set gillnet test fisheries for Chinook salmon have been fully operational at the Big Eddy and Middle Mouth sites since June 2 and June 6, respectively. The 8.25-inch drift gillnet test fishery for Chinook salmon has been fully operational at the Big Eddy site since May 24. The first Chinook salmon was caught on June 2. The combined cumulative Chinook salmon CPUE for the 8.5-inch set gillnet at the Big Eddy and Middle Mouth sites is 1.80, which is below the historical average of 2.72. The cumulative Chinook salmon CPUE in the 8.25-inch drift gillnet at the Big Eddy site is 27.86, which is below the historical average of 45.58. All CPUEs are current through June 9.

The 5.5-inch drift gillnet test fisheries for summer chum salmon at the Big Eddy and Middle Mouth sites have been fully operational since May 23 and June 6, respectively. The first reported catch of summer chum was June 3. As of June 9, the combined cumulative summer chum salmon CPUE for the 5.5-inch drift gillnet at the Big Eddy and Middle Mouth sites is 83.08, which is above the historical median of 56.03 for this date.

Operations at the LYTF have been altered from previous years, so caution should be taken when comparing current catch rates to historical catch rates. Any Chinook salmon healthy enough will be released alive from the test nets. Injured salmon and mortalities will be distributed to village elders by the Tribal Councils. Fewer set net sites are being fished than in the past to reduce Chinook salmon mortality.

Sonar Project near Pilot Station/ ADF&G

The Pilot Station sonar full operations began on June 2. The project is operating well and is not experiencing any issues with debris. Chinook salmon passage is estimated to be 12,236 fish, which is above the historical cumulative average of 8,557 fish. Summer chum salmon passage is estimated to be 4,752 fish, which is similar to the historical cumulative median of 4,699 fish. All estimates are current through June 9.

Management Strategy

Subsistence fishing times are being limited to half of the regulatory fishing schedule as the run progresses upriver. The reduced fishing schedule is intended to limit the harvest of Chinook salmon while more information about the timing and strength of the run is collected. The 2019 summer chum salmon run is expected to be similar in size to the 2018 run. Due to limited buyer capacity, Commercial summer chum fishing openings may be delayed in District 1 and 2 until approximately June 17. There is no commercial buyer this year in District 4.

Current Subsistence Management

As a reminder to fishermen, dip nets are now a legal subsistence gear type and are allowed during subsistence salmon gillnet openings. During salmon fishing closures, fishermen may use only gillnets of 4-inch or smaller mesh. Subsistence fishermen may retain any Chinook salmon harvested in dip nets, gillnets and fish wheels, unless otherwise specified in the announcements.   During commercial fishing periods for chum salmon with dip nets and beach seines, all king salmon must be released alive immediately.

South Coastal District (from the Naskonat Peninsula north to 62 degrees North latitude including the marine waters near Hooper Bay and Scammon Bay):

Subsistence fishing is open 24 hours a day, seven days per week with 7.5-inch or smaller mesh gillnets.

District 1 (Black River, South and Middle Mouths, including Nunam Iqua, Alakanuk, and Emmonak)

Subsistence fishing is currently closed. Subsistence salmon fishing will reopen 2 p.m. Tuesday, June 11, with 7.5-inch or smaller mesh gillnets on a reduced regulatory schedule consisting of two 18-hour periods per week from:

• 2 p.m. Tuesdays to 8 a.m. Wednesdays
• 2 p.m. Fridays to 8 a.m. Saturdays

North mouth of District 1: Subsistence fishing is currently open 24 hours a day with 7.5 inch or smaller mesh gillnets. Because of the delayed arrival of Chinook salmon to the North mouth (Kotlik), the reduced regulatory schedule will be delayed by one week for this mouth only.

Effective 8 a.m., Monday, June 17, subsistence fishing will close. Subsistence salmon fishing will reopen 2 p.m. Tuesday, June 18, with 7.5-inch or smaller mesh gillnets on a reduced regulatory schedule consisting of two 18-hour periods per week from:

• 2 p.m. Tuesdays to 8 a.m. Wednesdays
• 2 p.m. Fridays to 8 a.m. Saturdays

District 2 (Mountain Village, Pitkas Point, St. Mary’s, Pilot Station and Marshall):

Subsistence fishing is currently open 24 hours a day with 7.5 inch or smaller mesh gillnets.

Effective 8 a.m., Thursday, June 13 subsistence fishing will close. Subsistence salmon fishing will reopen 2 p.m. Saturday, June 15 with 7.5-inch or smaller mesh gillnets on a reduced regulatory schedule consisting of two 18-hour periods per week from:

• 2 p.m. Saturdays to 8 a.m. Sundays
• 2 p.m. Wednesdays to 8 a.m. Thursdays

District 3 (Russian Mission and Holy Cross):

Subsistence fishing is currently open 24 hours a day with 7.5 inch or smaller mesh gillnets.

Effective 8 a.m., Sunday, June 16 subsistence fishing will close. Subsistence salmon fishing will reopen 2 p.m. Wednesday, June 19, with 7.5-inch or smaller mesh gillnets on a reduced regulatory schedule consisting of two 18-hour periods per week from:

• 2 p.m. Wednesdays to 8 a.m. Thursdays
• 2 p.m. Saturdays to 8 a.m. Sundays

Districts 4 and 5

Subsistence fishing is currently open 24 hours a day, seven days per week with 7.5-inch or smaller mesh gillnets.

Innoko, Koyukuk and Kantishna Rivers:

Subsistence fishing is open 24 hours a day, seven days per week with 7.5-inch or smaller mesh gillnets and fish wheels.

Subdistricts 6-A and 6-B (from the mouth of the Tanana River upstream to the regulatory marker at the mouth of the Wood River, which includes the communities of Manley, Minto, and Nenana) and the Old Minto Area:  

Subsistence fishing is open 24 hours a day, seven days per week with 7.5-inch or smaller mesh size gillnets and fish wheels.

Upper Tanana Area (the Tanana River from the confluence with the mouth of Volkmar River on the north bank and the mouth of the Johnson River on the south bank upstream to the Tanana River headwaters):

Subsistence fishing is open 24 hours a day, seven days per week with 7.5-inch or smaller mesh size gillnets and fish wheels.

Subdistricts 6-C (Personal use fishery from the regulatory marker at the mouth of the Wood River upstream to the downstream mouth of the Salcha River, which includes the communities of Fairbanks, North Pole, and Salcha):

Personal use fishing is open on the regulatory fishing schedule of two 42-hour periods per week with 7.5-inch or smaller mesh gillnets and fish wheels:

• 6 p.m. Mondays to noon Wednesdays
• 6 p.m. Fridays to noon Sundays

A subsistence permit is required to fish for all species in portions of subdistricts 5-C and 5-D, and the Upper Tanana River drainage. The permit areas of Subdistrict 5-C and 5-D are from the western most tip of Garnet Island upstream to the mouth of Dall River, between the western tip of Garnet Island and the Dall River (Dalton Highway bridge area) and from the upstream mouth of 22 Mile Slough to the U.S./Canada border.

In the Tanana River up to the Wood River (Subdistrict 6-A and 6-B) a subsistence permit is required for salmon fishing.  A personal use permit is required to fish for salmon and other species above the Wood river (Subdistrict 6-C). In Subdistrict 6-D a permit is required to fish for salmon and non-salmon species.

A subsistence permit is required for northern pike in the Tolovana River drainage, including Minto Flats. Subsistence harvest calendars and subsistence fishing permits are available from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game Fairbanks office or online at www.adfg.alaska.gov/store/.

News releases, test fish catches, and sonar counts are also available on Facebook:

www.facebook.com/YukonRiverFishingADFG/

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