2020 Yukon River Salmon Summer Fishery Announcement #05 Summer Update # 1, Yukon Area Salmon Fishery

District Affected: Yukon Area

The 2020 Chinook salmon run size is forecasted to be slightly 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. For most districts, the subsistence fishing schedule is being reduced to half the regulatory (windows) fishing schedule and gillnets are being 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.

06/10/2020
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

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

The inseason salmon management teleconferences hosted by the Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association are held every Tuesday, at 1:00 p.m. To participate, call (800) 315-6338, and enter code: YUKON# (98566#).

Assessment Projects

Due to COVID-related mitigation planning, the Emmonak offices were not opened for the summer season. Test fish operations are being conducted by our usual local fishermen through cooperation with Yukon Delta Fisheries Development Association (YDFDA).

Lower Yukon Test Fishery (LYTF)/ ADF&G and YDFDA

Operations for 2020 have been altered. The set net (for Chinook) and drift test fish sites for summer chum will not operate at Middle Mouth during summer season. In the South Mouth at Big Eddy, drift operation for summer chum and Chinook salmon are unchanged, but we’ve deployed half the usual set net (from 25 fathoms to 12.5 fathoms) in an effort to reduce harvest of Chinook salmon in the test fishery. Due to these changes, the historical test fishery cumulative catch per unit effort (CPUE) and numbers reported inseason should not be compared to past reports.

The first Chinook and summer chum salmon were caught in the Lower Yukon Test Fishery (LYTF) on May 29 and May 31, respectively, and catch rates have remained relatively low for both species. Water levels are high with some wood debris affecting test-fishery nets.

The Big Eddy Chinook and summer chum drift gillnet sites were operational on May 29. The cumulative Chinook salmon catch per unit effort (CPUE) in the 8.25-inch drift gillnet is 16.95, which is below the historic average of 37.59. The cumulative CPUE for summer chum salmon is 75.85, which is below the Big Eddy historical average of 263.18. All CPUEs are current through June 8.

The Big Eddy set gillnet site began operations on June 3. The cumulative Chinook salmon CPUE for the 8.5-inch set gillnet at Big Eddy is 1.74. This year’s CPUE values are not directly comparable to historical CPUEs but should still give an indication of large groups of fish entering the river.

Any Chinook salmon healthy enough will be released alive from the test nets. Injured salmon and mortalities will be distributed to community members by the Tribal council, or on a first come, first-served basis from a public dock.

Sonar Project near Pilot Station/ ADF&G

The Pilot Station sonar full operations began on June 7. Crew noted high water levels with moderate debris. Chinook salmon passage is estimated to be 2,244 fish, which is below the historical cumulative average of 6,844 fish. Summer chum salmon passage is estimated to be 133 fish, which is below the historical cumulative median of 7,358 fish. All estimates are current through June 8.

Chena River Tower and Eagle Sonar / ADF&G

These projects will begin operations later this season when fish arrive in the area. ADF&G, USFWS, and TCC projects that will not operate in 2020

Due to COVID-19 travel restrictions or funding concerns, these projects will not operate: East Fork Andreafsky Weir, Anvik River Sonar, Gisasa River Weir, Henshaw Creek Weir, and Salcha River tower/sonar.

Management Strategy

Chinook salmon are just beginning to enter the river. Subsistence fishing times are being limited to half of the regulatory “windows” fishing schedule and gillnets are being restricted to 6-inch or smaller mesh prior to the first pulse arriving. This is intended to limit the harvest of Chinook salmon while more information about the timing and strength of the run is collected. These conservative actions are being implemented in each district based on run timing as the fish move upriver.

The 2020 summer chum salmon run is expected to be average. Due to limited buyer capacity, commercial summer chum fishing openings may be delayed until mid-June in Districts 1 and 2. There is no commercial buyer this year in District 4.

Current Subsistence Management Actions

Subsistence salmon fishing gear includes: gillnets, fish wheels, and dip nets during open salmon fishing periods. During subsistence salmon fishing closures, fishing for non-salmon species is allowed. However, gillnets are restricted to 4-inch or smaller mesh. If you are unsure if a gear is legal or have any questions about fishing, please call (907) 267-2385.

South Coastal District (from the Naskonat Peninsula north to 62 degrees North latitude which includes Hooper Bay and Scammon Bay):

Subsistence fishing is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week with gillnets restricted to 6-inch or smaller mesh.

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

Subsistence fishing is on a reduced regulatory schedule with gillnets restricted to 6-inch or smaller mesh for two 18-hour periods per week:

  • 2 p.m. Fridays to 8 a.m. Saturdays
  • 2 p.m. Tuesdays to 8 a.m. Wednesdays

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

Subsistence fishing is on a reduced regulatory schedule with gillnets restricted to 6-inch or smaller mesh for two 18-hour periods per week:

  • 2 p.m. Saturdays to 8 a.m. Sundays
  • 2 p.m. Wednesdays to 8 a.m. Thursdays

District 3 (including Russian Mission and Holy Cross):

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

Effective 2 a.m., Wednesday, June 10 subsistence salmon fishing will close. Subsistence salmon fishing will reopen Wednesday, June 10, at 2 p.m. on a reduced regulatory schedule with gillnets restricted to 6- inch or smaller mesh for two 18-hour periods per week:

  • 2 p.m. Wednesdays to 8 a.m. Thursdays
  • 2 p.m. Saturdays to 8 a.m. Sundays

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:

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

  • 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 salmon fishing will close. Subsistence salmon fishing will reopen Tuesday, June 16, at 6 p.m. on a reduced regulatory schedule with gillnets restricted to 6-inch or smaller mesh for two 24-hour periods per week:

  • 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. A subsistence fishing permit is required for all species in the Koyukuk River above Bettles including the community of Wiseman.

District 5:

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

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.

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) and the Old Minto Area:

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

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.

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 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

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). Fishermen may only use set gillnets and fishwheels in the Personal Use salmon fishery.

A subsistence permit is required for northern pike in the Tolovana River drainage, including Minto Flats.

Subsistence harvest calendars and subsistence fishing permits are available from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game Fairbanks office or online at www.adfg.alaska.gov/store/.

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