2019 Yukon River Fall Salmon Fishery News Release #29 Porcupine River Subsistence Fishing Closure

Districts Affected: Upper Yukon Area

The abundance of fall chum salmon in the upper Porcupine River has been low in recent years when compared to other stocks in the Yukon River drainage. Fall chum salmon escapements into the Canadian Fishing Branch River, a tributary of the Porcupine River, have fallen short of meeting the interim management escapement goal (IMEG) of 22,000 to 49,000 fish agreed upon by U.S. and Canadian representatives. Based on the inseason projection of 750,000-850,000 fall chum salmon, it is unlikely the lower end of the IMEG will be achieved in 2019. Like actions taken in recent years to improve fall chum salmon escapement to the spawning grounds in Canada, subsistence salmon fishing in the Alaska portion of the mainstem Porcupine River is being closed. 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.