2018 Yukon River Summer Salmon Fishery News Release # 6 Summer Update # 1, Yukon Area Salmon Fishery

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

The Yukon River Inseason Salmon Management Teleconferences hosted by Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association will be held every Tuesday, starting June 5, 2018 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 8.25-inch drift gillnet test fishery for Chinook salmon has been fully operational at the Big Eddy site since May 29. The cumulative CPUE, as of June 3, is 3.63, which is below the historical average of 17.46. Due to high water and large amounts of woody debris, the 8.5-inch set gillnets have not been installed at the Big Eddy site in the South Mouth nor the Middle Mouth site. The 5.5-inch drift gillnet test fishery for summer chum salmon at the Big Eddy site has been fully operational since May 29.  The cumulative CPUE, as of June 3, is 13.87, which is below the historical median of 15.96 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 sonar project near Pilot Station began operations on June 1. The sonar is operating well however some test fishery drifts, particularly on the right bank have been affected by large amounts of woody debris in the area. Chinook salmon passage, as of June 3, is estimated to be 106 fish which is below the historical cumulative average of 949 Chinook salmon for this date. Summer chum salmon passage, as of June 3, is estimated to be 2,435 fish which is above the historical cumulative median of 875 fish for this date. 

Management Strategy

A precautionary management approach is being taken early in the season. As early salmon move up river, fishing time may be limited to half of the regulatory fishing schedule and fishermen may use gillnets of 7.5 inches or smaller mesh. This action is taken in order to limit the harvest of early Chinook salmon while more information about the timing and strength of the run is collected. The 2018 summer chum salmon run is expected to be above average.

Current Management

As a reminder to fishermen, dip nets are not a legal subsistence gear type and are not currently allowed during subsistence gillnet openings. During salmon fishing closures, fishermen may use gillnets of 4-inch or smaller mesh. Fishermen may retain any Chinook salmon harvested in gillnets and fish wheels.

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.

This year the Northern portion of the Coastal District will be managed the same as District 1. This combined area includes District 1, the Black River, and all coastal waters from 62 degrees North latitude north to Point Romanof and up to 3 nautical miles offshore from any grassland.

District 1 (including the North Coastal District, the Black River, and the communities of Nunam Iqua, Alakanuk, Emmonak, and Kotlik):

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

Effective Friday, June 8, subsistence salmon fishing will be open 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. Fridays to 8 a.m. Saturdays
• 2 p.m. Tuesdays to 8 a.m. Wednesdays

Subsistence salmon fishing is closed between the 18-hour fishing periods.

District 2 (including the communities of Mountain Village, Pitkas Point, Saint Mary’s, Pilot Station, and Marshall):

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

Effective Monday, June 11, subsistence salmon fishing will be open 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. Mondays to 8 a.m. Tuesdays
• 2 p.m. Thursdays to 8 a.m. Fridays

Subsistence salmon fishing is closed between the 18-hour fishing periods.

District 3 (including the communities of Russian Mission and Holy Cross):

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

Effective Monday, June 11, subsistence salmon fishing will be open 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. Mondays to 8 a.m. Tuesdays
• 2 p.m. Thursdays to 8 a.m. Fridays

Subsistence salmon fishing is closed between the 18-hour fishing periods.

Innoko River:

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

District 4 (from ¾ mile downstream of Old Paradise Village to the western edge of the mouth of Illinois Creek, which includes the Anvik River and the communities of 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 and fish wheels. Salmon may not be taken by drift gillnets until June 10.

Koyukuk River:

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

District 5 (from the western edge of the mouth of Illinois Creek to the U.S./Canada border, including the communities of Tanana, Rampart, Stevens Village, Beaver, Fort Yukon, Venetie, Chalkyitsik, Circle, and Eagle):

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

A fishing permit is required to fish for all species in the following locations: the portion of Subdistrict 5-C 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. Subsistence fishermen outside of the permit area 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.

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):  

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

A fishing permit is required to fish for all species in the Tanana River drainage. Subsistence salmon fishermen fishing in the upper portion of Subdistrict 6-B, from three miles upstream of the mouth of Totchaket Slough to Wood River, are required to report their harvest catches to the department by 4:30 PM Thursday each week by contacting the department at (907) 459-7388. When you call, please provide your name, permit number, fishing location, and daily catch by species for that week.

Kantishna River:

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-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

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.

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

www.facebook.com/YukonRiverFishingADFG/

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