2019 Yukon River Fall Salmon Fishery News Release #27 Fall Update # 5, Yukon Area Salmon Fishery

The primary parent year for this year’s coho salmon run is 2015. The coho salmon outlook was for an average return, however, based on the extremely poor showing to date, the run would have to be late to achieve an average run size.

Fall Assessment Projects

Lower Yukon River Cooperative Fall Drift Test Fishing / ADF&G, YDFDA

The cumulative CPUE through August 19 was 771.12 for chum salmon, which is below the historical median of 1,261.04 for this date. The cumulative CPUE for coho salmon as of August 19 was 40.67 which is well below the median of 234.88. The mid-point of the coho salmon run is typically around August 18 at this project.

The cumulative CPUE through August 19 was 1,929.68 for chum salmon, which is above the historical median of 1,579.29 for this date. The cumulative CPUE for coho salmon was 145.07 which is below the historical median of 421.69 as of August 19. The mid- point of the coho salmon run is typically around August 22 at this project.

Sonar Project near Pilot Station / ADF&G

The cumulative chum salmon passage estimate from July 19 through August 18 was 601,000 fish, which is above the median passage of approximately 471,000 fish for this date. The cumulative coho salmon passage was 20,000 fish, which is below the median of 53,700 through August 18. The mid-point of the coho salmon run is typically around August 22 at this project.

Teedriinjik (Chandalar) River Sonar / USFWS

The sonar project began operations on August 8 and through August 18 has cumulative passage of 1,934 fall chum salmon which is below the median passage of 11,717 for this date. This level of passage is not unexpected due to the late arrival of fall chum salmon.

Age Composition Fall Season / ADF&G

The preliminary chum salmon age composition from the LYTF 6-inch drift gillnets indicates the run is dominated by age-4 fish. The 2019 preliminary proportions of age-4 is 73%, above the average of 63% and age-5 is 27% which is below average (36%), as of August 10. Females represent 48% of the fish sampled (n=671), which is below the average of 57%, as of August 18.

Chum Salmon Stock Identification

Genetic mixed stock analysis (MSA) on chum salmon from July 27 through August 9 that passed the sonar near Pilot Station, contained approximately 36% summer chum and 64% fall chum salmon. The fall chum salmon stocks in the entire sample consisted of 19% Border/US (Teedriinjik/Sheenjek/Black), 34% Canadian and 11% Tanana Fall stocks.

Fall Season Management Strategy:

Yukon River Districts 1-5 have switched to fall season management. District 6 will transition to fall season management as the fall chum salmon migration reaches that area. The fall chum salmon commercial fishing season is open in Districts 1-5. Commercial periods have announced in Districts 1 and 2. There are currently no registered buyers in Districts 3-5. Commercial fishermen should stand by for announcements regarding commercial openings in their districts.

As a reminder to subsistence fishermen, dip nets are a legal gear type for subsistence salmon fishing. Subsistence salmon fishermen may continue using gillnets, dip nets, and fish wheels. Personal use fishermen in Subdistrict 6-C of the Tanana River may only use set gillnets and fish wheels.

Summer Assessment Projects

Eagle Sonar / ADF&G

The Eagle sonar began operations on July 1. Chinook salmon passage, as of August 18, is estimated to be 46,458 fish, which is below the historical cumulative average of 57,605 fish for this date. The Interim Management Escapement Goal for Canadian-origin Chinook salmon is 42,500–55,000 fish. The goal is assessed post-season using the Eagle sonar count minus the estimated U.S. and Canadian harvest of Chinook salmon above the sonar.

The age composition of 185 Chinook salmon sampled from the drift gillnets in the Eagle sonar test fishery, through July 24, was 10% age-4, 52% age-5, 36% age-6, and 1% age-7 fish. The proportions of Chinook salmon that were age-4 and age-5 were above average, while the proportion of fish that were age-6 was slightly below average. The proportion of fish that were female, 45%, was above average.

Subsistence Fishing Schedule:

Coastal District (Naskonat Peninsula to 1 mile south of Black River, 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, Nunam Iqua, Alakanuk, Kotlik and Emmonak):

Subsistence fishing is open for the fall season 24 hours a day, 7 days per week except for 12 hours before, during, and 12 hours after each commercial fishing period. Subsistence fishermen may use 7.5-inch or smaller mesh gillnets.

Due to a commercial period, subsistence salmon fishing, including all gillnets in the Pastolik and Pastoliak Rivers, will close at 12:00 midnight Sunday, August 18, and reopen at 8:00 a.m. Tuesday, August 20.

Subsistence fishermen must remove both tips of the tail fin of Chinook salmon before concealing from plain view or leaving the fishing site.

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

Subsistence fishing is open for the fall season 24 hours a day, 7 days per week except for 12 hours before, during, and 12 hours after each commercial fishing period. Subsistence fishermen may use 7.5-inch or smaller mesh gillnets. Subsistence fishermen must remove both tips of the tail fin of Chinook salmon before concealing from plain view or leaving the fishing site.

District 3 (Russian Mission and Holy Cross):

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

District 4 (Anvik, Grayling, Kaltag, Nulato, Koyukuk, Galena, and Ruby):

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

As a reminder, fishermen in District 4 may drift gillnet for all salmon; there are no longer dates when drifting is discontinued, and there is no longer a gillnet mesh depth restriction in state or federal waters.

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

A subsistence permit is required to fish for all species in portions of Subdistricts 5-C and 5-D 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.

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 Wood River, including Manley, Minto, and Nenana):

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

• 6 p.m. Fridays to noon Sundays
• 6 p.m. Mondays to noon Wednesdays Old Minto Area:

Subsistence fishing is open with 7.5-inch or smaller mesh gillnets and fish wheels on the regulatory schedule of five days per week from:

• 6 p.m. Fridays until 6 p.m. Wednesdays

Upper Tanana Area (from 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, including Dot Lake, Tok, Tanacross, Northway):

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

Subdistrict 6-C Personal Use Salmon (from the Wood River upstream to the Salcha River, including Fairbanks, North Pole, and Salcha):

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

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

Fishermen may only use set gillnets and fish wheels in the Personal Use salmon fishery.

In the Tanana River up to the Wood River (Subdistrict 6-A and 6-B), and in the Upper Tanana River Area, a subsistence permit is required for salmon fishing. A personal use permit is required to fish for salmon and other species from the mouth of the Wood River upstream to the mouth of the Salcha River (Subdistrict 6-C).