The Kuskokwim River from its Mouth to 10 Miles above Upper Kalskag will be opened to Gillnet Fishing July 1, 2017 from 3:00 PM to 9:00 PM

In consultation with the Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, the Federal In-season Manager announces the opening of the Federal public waters of the Kuskokwim River main-stem from the mouth of the river to a line approximately 10 miles upriver from Upper Kalskag, beginning at the downriver end of Luke’s/Dave Norrs Island on the north side of the Kuskokwim River, due south to the upriver end of the Old River on the south side of the Kuskokwim River, to a 6-hour gillnet opportunity for Federally qualified subsistence users to harvest fish other than Chinook Salmon. During this opportunity, Federally qualified subsistence users may fish from 3:00 p.m. July 1, 2017, until 9:00 p.m. July 1, 2017 using set or drift gillnets with 6 inch or less stretched mesh and not exceeding 45 mesh in depth. Nets cannot exceed 25 fathoms (150 feet) in length. The closure above the Old River is in place to eliminate harvest of Chinook Salmon in the upper portion of the river where Chum and Sockeye to Chinook Salmon ratios are lower than in the lower portion of the river. Federally qualified subsistence users identified in the ANILCA Section 804 subsistence user prioritization may retain Chinook Salmon incidentally harvested in gillnets.