2021 Yukon River Salmon Fall Fishery Announcement # 20 Fall Update # 8, Yukon Area Salmon Fishery Districts Affected: Yukon Area

Fall chum salmon typically take 39 days to migrate from the mouth of the Yukon River to the U.S./Canada border, with estimated travel rates of 35 miles per day. The last identified fall chum salmon group that entered the Yukon River on September 3 should be approaching the U.S./Canada border around October 12. Monitored lower Yukon River and tributary water levels and water temperatures are near average most of the season and should not adversely affect salmon migration. Some of the upper Yukon River water levels in Canada are still above average for this time of year but are dropping. As the waters flow into Alaska, the Eagle area water levels on the mainstem Yukon River are only slightly above average currently.

The coho salmon run came in late and was extremely weak (Figure 2). Coho salmon are smaller fish than fall chum salmon and typically travel about 30 miles per day. Small numbers of coho and fall chum salmon will continue to enter the Yukon River in September.

Fall Assessment Projects

All projects that handle fish (LYTF; Mt. Village Drift Test Fishery; Pilot Station and Eagle sonars) are making efforts to reduce salmon mortality and distribute test fish catches to community members. Any salmon healthy enough will be released alive from the test nets. Injured salmon and mortalities will be distributed to community members by Tribal councils or on a first come first-served basis from a public dock.

Lower Yukon Test Fishery / ADF&G, Yukon Delta Fisheries Development Association

This project concluded operations September 10, 2021. The fall chum salmon cumulative catch per unit effort (CPUE) was 125.75 which is well below the average of 1,588.86 for this date. The coho salmon cumulative CPUE was 14.09 which is well below the average of 414.56 for this date. This year’s run timing for both fall chum and coho salmon are late compared to median timing at this project.

Mountain Village Drift Test Fishery / Asacarsarmiut Tribal Council

This project concluded operations September 12, 2021. The fall chum salmon cumulative CPUE was 450.29 which is well below the average of 2,038.58 for that date. The coho salmon cumulative CPUE was 117.00 which is well below the average of 1,084.58 for this date. This year’s run timing for both fall chum and coho salmon are late compared to median timing at this project.

Sonar Project near Pilot Station / ADF&G

This project concluded operations September 7, 2021. The preliminary cumulative passage estimate of chum salmon from July 19 through September 7 was 146,172 fish, which as well below the median passage of 723,413 fish for this date. The estimated fall chum salmon component of this count was approximately 99,000 fish after the application of preliminary genetic stock proportions. The run timing for fall chum salmon was near median. The preliminary cumulative passage estimate of coho salmon is 37,257 fish through September 7, which compares to the median cumulative passage of 147,456 coho salmon for this date. This year’s run timing for coho salmon is 5 days late compared to median timing at this project.

View Full  News Release http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static/applications/dcfnewsrelease/1334585002.pdf