2020 Yukon River Salmon Summer Fishery Announcement #04 District 4 and Koyukuk River Subsistence Fishing Schedule

Districts Affected: Upper Yukon Area

The 2020 Chinook salmon run size is forecasted to be smaller than the 2019 run. The first subsistence-caught Chinook and summer chum salmon were reported on the Lower Yukon on May 27 and May 28. Early fish should be traveling through District 4 at this time. For most districts, the subsistence fishing schedule is being reduced to half the regulatory (windows) fishing schedule and gillnets will be restricted to 6-inch or smaller mesh. This is intended to limit the harvest on Chinook salmon while more information about the timing and strength of the run is collected.

06/09/2020
Last edited 01/25/2022
Contact Information

Holly Carroll, Area Management Biologist

(907) 267-2385

 Toll free fishing schedule and counts: (866) 479-7387

In Fairbanks fishing schedule hotline: 459-7387

As a reminder, the following gears are legal during subsistence salmon openings in District 4; set and drift gillnets, dip nets, beach seines, and fishwheels. Hook and line is legal subsistence gear in the Nulato River and downstream from the mouth of the Nulato River. During subsistence salmon fishing closures, fishing for non-salmon species is allowed; however, gillnets must have 4-inch or smaller mesh and fishwheels may not operate.

Subsistence Management Actions

Subdistrict 4-A (Grayling, Anvik, Kaltag, Nulato, and Koyukuk):

Subsistence fishing is currently open with 7.5-inch or smaller mesh gillnets.

Effective 6 a.m., Saturday, June 13 subsistence fishing will close. Subsistence salmon fishing will reopen Saturday, June 13, at 6 p.m. with 6-inch or smaller mesh gillnets on a reduced regulatory schedule consisting of two 24-hour periods per week from:

  • 6 p.m. Saturdays to 6 p.m. Sundays
  • 6 p.m. Tuesdays to 6 p.m. Wednesdays

Subdistrict 4-B and 4-C (Galena and Ruby):

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

Effective 6 a.m., Tuesday, June 16 subsistence fishing will close. Subsistence salmon fishing will reopen Tuesday, June 16, at 6 p.m. with 6-inch or smaller mesh gillnets on a reduced regulatory schedule consisting of two 24-hour periods per week from:

  • 6 p.m. Tuesdays to 6 p.m. Wednesdays
  • 6 p.m. Saturdays to 6 p.m. Sundays

Koyukuk River (Huslia, Hughes, Alatna, Allakaket, and Bettles)

Subsistence salmon fishing in the Koyukuk River is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week with 7.5 inch or smaller mesh gillnets.

Koyukuk River Permit Area:

A subsistence fishing permit is required for all species in the Koyukuk River above Bettles including the community of Wiseman. For information on permits and fish species, contact the Fish and Game office in Fairbanks at (907) 459-7274. Permits are available to Alaska residents and are free of charge. Fishermen can obtain permits anytime online at www.adfg.alaska.gov/store.

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