Federal Subsistence Board News

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*REMINDER* Federal public waters of the Kuskokwim River are open for the harvest of Chinook Salmon only by Federally Qualified Subsistence Users June 12, 15, 18, 2020

06/11/2020

The Office of Subsistence Management reminds fishers that the Federal public waters of the Kuskokwim River are only open to the harvest of Chinook Salmon by Federally Qualified Subsistence Users on June 12, 15 and 18 from 6 AM to 6 PM, with 6 inch or less gillnets (see 3-KS-03-20). Under the State ADF&G Emergency Openings on June 12 and 15, non-Federally qualified fishers cannot target or keep Chinook Salmon at any time, or by any methods or means, within Federal public waters.

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

06/10/2020

District Affected: Yukon AreaThe 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.

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

06/09/2020

Districts Affected: Upper Yukon AreaThe 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.

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Federal public waters of the Kuskokwim River will be opened for three 12 Hour Gillnet opportunities on June 12, 15, 18, 2020 to the Harvest of Chinook Salmon by Federally Qualified Subsistence Users

06/08/2020

This emergency special action announces three 12-hour harvest opportunities for Federally qualified subsistence users identified in the Section 804 subsistence user prioritization analysis, which includes residents of the Kuskokwim River drainage and the villages of Chefornak, Kipnuk, Kwigillingok, and Kongiganak, to the use of gillnets for the harvest of Chinook Salmon on Federal public waters of the Kuskokwim River main stem, except for the section referred to as the Aniak Box (see 3-KS-01-20 or regulatory language below for description), on June 12, June 15, and June 18, 2020. The start time and end time for each of these three opportunities are from 6:00 AM to 6:00 PM.

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2020 Yukon River Salmon Summer Fishery Announcement #3 Coastal District, Districts 1, 2 and 3 Subsistence Fishing Schedule

06/02/2020

Districts Affected: Lower Yukon AreaThe 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. For most districts, the subsistence fishing schedule is being reduced to half the regulatory (windows) fishing schedule and gillnets are 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.

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Federal public waters of the Kuskokwim River will be opened for three 24 hour periods to the Harvest of Chinook Salmon with 6-inch set gillnets by Federally Qualified Subsistence Users

05/29/2020

In coordination with the Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, Western Interior RAC, Office of Subsistence Management, and Yukon Kuskokwim Delta RAC, the Federal In-season Manager announces three 24-hour set gillnet opportunities for Federally qualified subsistence users identified in the Section 804 subsistence user prioritization analysis, which includes residents of the Kuskokwim River drainage and the villages of Chefornak, Kipnuk, Kwigillingok, and Kongiganak, to harvest Chinook Salmon on Federal public waters of the Kuskokwim River main stem, except for the waters of the Kuskokwim River mainstem referred to as the Aniak Box (see 3-KS-01-20). 

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Situk River closed to harvest of Chinook Salmon through July

05/27/2020

YAKUTAT, Alaska – Yakutat District Ranger Lee Benson, under authority delegated by the Federal Subsistence Board, has announced that the Situk River will be closed to the harvest of Chinook Salmon from 12:01 a.m. Monday, June 1, 2020 through 11:59 p.m. Thursday, July 30, 2020 due to forecasted low returns.

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Kuskokwim River Mainstem and Salmon Tributaries in Federal Public Waters Closed to Chinook Salmon harvest with Gillnets by Federally Qualified Users Beginning June 1, 2020

05/18/2020

The Federal Subsistence Board (Board) closed the Federal public waters of the Kuskokwim River to the harvest of Chinook Salmon by non-Federally qualified subsistence users, and limited the pool of Federally qualified subsistence users eligible to harvest Chinook Salmon, with approval of FSA 20- 01,02,03 during the Board meeting on May 1st, 2020.

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