The Federal Subsistence Board Adopted with Modification FSA24-01: Yukon River Chinook, Summer and Fall Chum, and Coho Salmon Fisheries

For Immediate Release
April 29, 2024

The Federal Subsistence Board (Board) met in public by teleconference on April 15, 2024, and adopted with modification Temporary Special Action FSA24-01.

The Board closed Federal public waters of the Yukon River drainage to the harvest of Chinook, summer and fall Chum, and Coho salmon except by federally qualified subsistence users. The closure is effective June 1, 2024, through September 30, 2024, or until reopened by the Federal fisheries manager, with harvest opportunities to be determined by the Federal fisheries manager if fisheries run strength is sufficient to allow additional harvest opportunities.

Federal public waters of the Yukon River drainage include all navigable and non-navigable freshwaters located within and adjacent to the exterior boundaries of National Wildlife Refuges, National Parks and Preserves, and National Conservation Areas, as well as those segments of the National Wild and Scenic Rivers system located outside the boundaries of other listed Federal conservation units.  Federal public waters also include all freshwaters flowing into the Bering Sea between the latitude of Point Romanof and the latitude of the westernmost point of the Naskonat Peninsula within the external boundaries of the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge.

The Board stated that recent Yukon River drainage salmon runs have been some of the worst on record, which resulted in closures and restrictions to salmon harvest the past four years.  The 2024 run and harvest outlook is expected to be poor for most Yukon River salmon species. Summer Chum Salmon runs have improved since 2022; however, there are concerns about opening the Yukon River drainage to the harvest of summer Chum Salmon since the run is concurrent with the Chinook Salmon run.  The Federal manager will determine fishing schedules, openings, closures, and fishing methods based on run sizes and in accordance with Title VIII of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act.  This may include selective gear type openings for summer Chum Salmon that are timed to conserve Chinook Salmon.

This action is necessary for the conservation of fish resources in Federal public waters.  It also provides a priority for non-wasteful subsistence uses as required by Title VIII of the Alaska National Interest Lands Conservation Act.

Information about 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.

View full news release here

-###-