2021 Yukon River Salmon Fall Fishery Announcement # 6 Fall Update # 1, Yukon Area Salmon Fishery

The 2021 fall chum salmon run size is anticipated to be critically low, similar to this season’s summer chum salmon that was the lowest on record. The fall chum salmon preseason projection, based on the relationship between summer chum salmon and fall chum salmon run sizes, is for a run size less than 300,000 fish. According to the Fall Chum Salmon Management Plan, the preseason projection does not meet the threshold of 300,000 fish needed to allow subsistence fishing. In addition, the current run projection is unlikely to meet the drainagewide escapement goal of 300,000-600,000 fall chum salmon, tributary escapement goals and Canadian treaty objectives. Similar to last year, the Western Alaska chum salmon stocks in Kuskokwim and Norton Sound are also performing poorly.