2019 Yukon River Fall Salmon Fishery News Release # 4 District 1 Commercial and Subsistence Fishing Schedule

Districts Affected: Lower Yukon Area

The 2019 fall chum salmon preseason projection, based on the relationship between summer chum to fall chum salmon run sizes, is for a run size of 625,000 fall chum salmon with a range of 500,000 to 750,000 fish. Run sizes within this range are expected to provide for escapement and subsistence use needs. In accordance with the Yukon River Drainage Fall Chum Salmon Management Plan, a threshold run size of 550,000 fish is necessary to open a fall chum salmon directed commercial fishery. Commercial fishing is allowed on the surplus above that level.

07/23/2019
Last edited 01/25/2022
Contact Information

Jeff Estensen, Area Management Biologist

Christy Gleason, Asst. Area Management Biologist

ADF&G, Lower Yukon Area Office

(907) 949-1320

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

Fishing schedule hotline in Fairbanks: 459-7387

During the transitional period between the summer and fall seasons, many summer chum salmon are still entering the river. A commercial period at this time would harvest mostly summer chum salmon. After this period, most chum salmon entering Yukon River will likely be fall chum salmon. The department will monitor and assess the fall chum salmon run. Commercial fishing will resume once the 2019 fall chum run is projected to meet the 550,000 fish threshold and a surplus is available. Commercial fishermen should stand by for announcements regarding further commercial fishing.

District 1 Commercial Fishing:

Commercial fishing will open with 6-inch or smaller mesh gillnets:

  • Set Net Only Area: 9-hour period on Sunday, July 21 from 3:00 p.m. until 12:00 midnight.
  • Remainder of District 1: 6-hour period on Sunday, July 21 from 6:00 p.m. until 12:00 midnight.

 

Chinook salmon may be sold during these commercial openings. All Chinook salmon sold or retained for subsistence during commercial openings must be recorded on a fish ticket.

Pastolik and Pastoliak Rivers:

The Pastolik and Pastoliak rivers near Apoon Pass, including 500 yards around their mouths, are closed to commercial fishing (see map below). Also, subsistence fishing with gillnets, including gillnets with 4-inch mesh or less, is closed in these waters 12 hours before, during, and 12 hours after each commercial opening.

District 1 Subsistence Fishing:

Subsistence salmon fishing in District 1, is open during the fall season 7 days per week, 24 hours per day with 7.5-inch or smaller mesh gillnets, except for 12 hours before, during, and 12 hours after each commercial fishing period. Subsistence salmon fishing, including the Pastolik and Pastoliak Rivers, will close at 3:00 a.m. Sunday, July 21, and reopen at 12:00 noon Monday, July 22.

Subsistence fishermen must remove both tips of the tail fin of Chinook salmon before concealing from plain view or leaving the fishing site.

This is an announcement by the ADF&G in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. To reach the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Emmonak call 949-1798.

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Map showing location of Pastolik and Pastoliak Rivers closed to commercial fishing.

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