2020 Yukon River Salmon Fall Fishery Announcement #14 District 6 Subsistence and Personal Use Fishing Schedule

Districts Affected: Upper Yukon Area

The 2020 fall chum salmon inseason projection is for a run size of less than 300,000 fish, which is the second lowest run size since the year 2000. Mixed stock genetic analysis was applied to the passage estimates to remove summer chum salmon and resulted in an estimate of 99,200 fall chum salmon having passed the mainstem sonar near Pilot Station as of August 12. The mid-point of the fall chum salmon run at the mainstem sonar typically occurs on August 11. Within the Yukon River Fall Chum Salmon Management Plan, a threshold of 300,000 fall chum salmon is needed to allow any fishing for fall chum salmon in the Yukon Area. 

08/14/2020
Last edited 01/25/2022
Contact Information

Jeff Estensen, Area Management Biologist

(907) 459-7274

Toll free fishing schedule and counts: (866) 479-7387

In Fairbanks fishing schedule hotline: 459-7387

The current inseason projection is below that threshold, therefore subsistence, commercial, sport, and personal use fishing for fall chum salmon are closing in the mainstem Yukon River until further notice. In addition, the projected abundance would not achieve the lower end of the drainagewide escapement goal of 300,000-600,000 fall chum salmon, and likely not achieve any of the tributary escapement goals, and/or Canadian treaty objectives. Fall chum salmon are typically dominated by age-4 fish; however, the 2016 parent year that produced that age class has shown extremely poor survival in chum salmon runs throughout the state.

District 6 is transitioning to fall season management on August 16. Consequently, subsistence and personal use salmon fishing periods in the majority of District 6 will be cancelled until further notice to allow fall chum salmon to reach their spawning areas. The Upper Tanana River remains open because fall chum salmon have a nominal presence in this area. The department will continue to assess the run to determine if there are surpluses of chum salmon for further harvest opportunities.

Subsistence Management Actions

Subdistricts 6-A and 6-B and Old Minto Area (from the mouth of the Tanana River upstream to the Wood River, including Manley, Minto, and Nenana):

Subsistence fishing is open for one more 24-hour period with 6-inch or smaller mesh gillnets and fish wheels

from 6 p.m. Friday, August 14 to 6 p.m. Saturday, August 15.

Effective 6 p.m. Saturday, August 15, subsistence salmon fishing will close and periods are cancelled until further notice.

During subsistence salmon fishing closures, only gillnets with 4-inch or smaller mesh may be used to target non-salmon species. Fish wheels may not be operated during the closures.

Kantishna River:

Subsistence fishing is open 24 hours a day, seven days per week with 7.5-inch or smaller mesh gillnets and fish wheels.

Effective 6 p.m. Saturday, August 15, subsistence salmon fishing in the Kantishna River will close until further notice.

During subsistence salmon fishing closures, only gillnets with 4-inch or smaller mesh may be used to target non-salmon species. Fish wheels may not be operated during the closures.

Upper Tanana Area (the Tanana River from the confluence with the mouth of Volkmar River on the north bank and the mouth of the Johnson River on the south bank upstream to the Tanana River headwaters):

Subsistence fishing is open 24 hours a day, seven days per week with 7.5-inch or smaller mesh gillnets and fish wheels.

Personal Use Fishing

Subdistrict 6-C Salmon (Personal use fishery from the regulatory marker at the mouth of the Wood River upstream to the downstream mouth of the Salcha River, which includes the communities of Fairbanks, North Pole, and Salcha):

Personal Use salmon fishing is open for one more 24-hour period with 6-inch or smaller mesh gillnets and fish wheels from 6 p.m. Friday, August 14 to 6 p.m. Saturday, August 15.

Effective 6 p.m. Saturday, August 15, Personal Use salmon fishing will close and periods are cancelled until further notice.

Subdistrict 6-C Whitefish and Sucker Personal Use Fishing:

Personal Use whitefish and sucker fishing with gillnets and fish wheels follows the Subdistrict 6-C salmon fishing schedule and will close at 6 p.m. Saturday, August 15 until further notice. Fishing with other gear for whitefish and suckers in this area remains open 7 days per week, 24 hours per day.

In the Tanana River up to the Wood River (Kantishna River and Subdistricts 6-A and 6-B) a subsistence permit is required for salmon fishing. A personal use permit is required to fish for salmon from the mouth of the Wood River upstream to the mouth of the Salcha River (Subdistrict 6-C).

A subsistence permit is also required for all species in the “Upper Tanana River” area from the confluence with the mouth of Volkmar River on the north bank, and the mouth of the Johnson River on the south bank, upstream to the Tanana River headwaters. A personal use permit is required to fish for whitefish and suckers in the Fairbanks Non-Subsistence area (from the Wood River upstream to the mouth of the Volkmar River on the north bank and the mouth of the Johnson River on the south bank). A subsistence permit is required for northern pike in the Tolovana River drainage, including Minto Flats.

Subsistence harvest calendars and subsistence fishing permits are available from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game Fairbanks office (459-7274) or online at www.adfg.alaska.gov/store/.

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 Fairbanks call 456-0406.

Announcements will be shared on Facebook at www.facebook.com/YukonRiverFishingADFG

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