2018 Yukon River Fall Salmon Fishery News Release # 65, Porcupine River Subsistence Fishing Closure

Districts Affected: Upper Yukon Area

The fall chum salmon run into the upper Porcupine River appears to be poor. Through September 28, the estimated cumulative fall chum salmon passage at the mainstem Porcupine River sonar located near Old Crow is 11,800 fish which is well below the 2011 to 2017 average of 30,775 for that date. Through September 30, the estimated fall chum salmon passage at the Fishing Branch river weir is 4,371 fish, which is well below the historical cumulative average of 21,458 fish for that date. Based on late run timing projections, it is not anticipated that the lower end of the Fishing Branch weir treaty agreement interim management escapement goal (IMEG) with Canada of 22,000 to 49,000 fish will be achieved. As a result, the following subsistence salmon fishing management action will occur in the U.S. portion of the Porcupine River:

10/02/2018
Last edited 01/25/2022
Contact Information

Jeff Estensen, Area Management Biologist

Christy Gleason, Assistant Area Management Biologist

Upper Yukon Area Office

(907) 459-7274

Toll free fishing schedule hotline: (866) 479-7387

Fishing schedule hotline in Fairbanks: 459-7387

Porcupine River:

Currently subsistence salmon fishing is on a 96-hour per week fishing schedule from 12:00 noon Thursdays to 12:00 noon Mondays in the Porcupine River. This includes those portions of the mainstem Yukon River around the 3 mouths of the Porcupine River (see attached map).

Effective 12:00 noon Wednesday, October 3, subsistence salmon fishing in the Porcupine River, including those portions of the mainstem Yukon River around the 3 mouths of the Porcupine River (see attached map), is closed until further notice. During the closures, fishermen may fish for non-salmon species using gillnet gear with a mesh size of 4 inches or less. Subsistence salmon fishing in tributaries such as the Sheenjek, Black, Coleen, and Salmon Trout rivers will remain open 24 hours a day, seven days per week.

Managers will closely monitor fall chum salmon escapement into the Fishing Branch River throughout the season. If inseason information from the mainstem Porcupine River sonar and from the Fishing Branch River escapement monitoring projects indicates the fall chum salmon goal will be met, the department may relax subsistence fishing restrictions.

Recorded fishery announcements and updates are available 24 hours a day at 1-866-479-7387 (toll free). If you have any questions regarding this report, please call the Fairbanks ADF&G office at (907) 459-7274 or the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Fairbanks at (907) 455-1845.

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Map showing the areas of the Porcupine River affected by the subsistence salmon fishing schedule, its confluence with the Yukon River.

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