2020 Yukon River Salmon Summer Fishery Announcement #11 Summer Update #3, Yukon Area Salmon Fishery

Districts Affected: Yukon Area

The first pulse of Chinook salmon is late, and current projections indicate there may be no harvestable surplus on a run of this size (Figure 1). It is essential to close subsistence fishing for Chinook salmon and allow all of the early tricklers to head toward their spawning grounds.

06/23/2020
Last edited 01/25/2022
Contact Information

Holly Carroll, Area Management Biologist
(907) 267-2385
Toll free fishing schedule and counts: (866) 479-7387
In Fairbanks fishing schedule hotline: 459-7387

The first large group of chum salmon are arriving now in the lower river, slightly later than last year. In order to provide some opportunity to harvest chum salmon, fishing will be allowed only with selective gear (dip nets and beach seines) and all Chinook salmon must be released alive to the water.

During subsistence fishing closures, no gillnets are allowed. At this time, 4-inch or smaller mesh gear is not allowed for the harvest of non-salmon, in order to avoid incidental harvest of Chinook salmon from this gear. During subsistence salmon fishing closures, gillnets, dip nets or beach seines are not allowed. Fish wheels may not be operated during closures.

The inseason salmon management teleconferences hosted by the Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association are held every Tuesday, at 1:00 p.m. To participate, call (800) 315-6338, and enter code: YUKON# (98566#).

Lower Yukon Test Fishery (LYTF)/ ADF&G and YDFDA

Operations for 2020 have been altered. The set net (for Chinook) and drift test fish sites for summer chum will not operate at Middle Mouth during the summer season. In the South Mouth at Big Eddy, drift operations for summer chum and Chinook salmon are unchanged; however, we’ve deployed half the usual set net (reduced from 25 fathoms to 12.5 fathoms) in an effort to reduce harvest of Chinook salmon in the test fishery. Due to these changes, the historical test fishery cumulative catch per unit effort (CPUE) and numbers reported inseason should not be compared to past reports.

The Big Eddy Chinook and summer chum drift gillnet sites were operational on May 29. The cumulative Chinook salmon catch per unit effort (CPUE) in the 8.25-inch drift gillnet is 121.23, which is below the historic average of 221.79. The cumulative CPUE for summer chum salmon is 903.17, which is well below the Big Eddy historical median of 5,118.54. All CPUEs are current through June 21.

The Big Eddy set gillnet site began operations on June 3. The cumulative Chinook salmon CPUE for the 8.5-inch set gillnet at Big Eddy is 10.41. This year’s CPUE values are not directly comparable to historical CPUEs but should still give an indication of large groups of fish entering the river.

Any Chinook salmon healthy enough will be released alive from the test nets. Injured salmon and mortalities will be distributed to community members by the Tribal council, or on a first come, first-served basis from a public dock.


summer11-1.png
Figure 1. Cumulative passage of Chinook salmon at the Pilot Station sonar compared to late and or weak years.

Sonar Project near Pilot Station/ ADF&G

The Pilot Station sonar began full operations on June 7. From June 9 to June 16, the left bank inshore ARIS (Adaptive Resolution Imaging) sonar unit experienced technical difficulties and was replaced with an HTI (split- beam). The sonar project is operating as normal now with good detection on both banks, and there are no indications that significant fish passage was missed. Water levels remain high but dropping with moderate debris. Chinook salmon passage is estimated to be 31,848 fish, which is below the historical cumulative average of 75,277 fish. Summer chum salmon passage is estimated to be 29,817 fish, which is below the historical cumulative median of 407,665 fish. However, this passage estimate is only slightly smaller than the cumulative passage estimate of 48,000 on this date in 2019 (which was a late summer chum run). All estimates are current through June 21.

Chena River Tower and Sonar / ADF&G

Project operations began Friday, June 19 but the sonars and panels were pulled out over the weekend due to rising water.

ADF&G, USFWS, and TCC projects that will not operate in 2020

Due to COVID-19 travel restrictions or funding concerns, these projects will not operate: East Fork Andreafsky Weir, Anvik River Sonar, Gisasa River Weir, Henshaw Creek Weir, and Salcha River tower/sonar.

Current Subsistence Management Actions

During subsistence fishing closures, no gillnets are allowed. At this time, 4-inch or smaller mesh gear is not allowed for the harvest of non-salmon, in order to avoid incidental harvest of Chinook salmon from this gear. During closures, fish wheels may not be operated, and gillnets, dip nets or beach seines are not allowed. If you are unsure if a gear is legal or have any questions about fishing, please call (907) 267-2385. Fisherman should stand by for future announcements.

South Coastal District (from the Naskonat Peninsula north to 62 degrees North latitude which includes Hooper Bay and Scammon Bay):

Subsistence fishing is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week with gillnets restricted to 6-inch or smaller mesh.

District 1 and the North Coastal Area (from 62 degrees North latitude north to Point Romanof, including the Black River, and communities of Emmonak, Nunam Iqua, Alakanuk, and Kotlik):

Subsistence fishing is closed.

Effective 2 p.m. Tuesday, June 23 until 8 a.m. Wednesday June 24, subsistence salmon fishing will open with dip nets and beach seines only to target summer chum salmon. All Chinook salmon must be released alive.

During subsistence salmon fishing closures, all gillnets (including 4-inch or smaller mesh), dip nets and beach seines are not allowed.

District 2 (including Mountain Village, Pitkas Point, St. Mary’s, Pilot Station, and Marshall): Subsistence fishing is closed.

Effective 2 p.m. Wednesday, June 24 until 8 a.m. Thursday June 25, subsistence salmon fishing will open with dip nets and beach seines only to target summer chum salmon. All Chinook salmon must be released alive.

During subsistence salmon fishing closures, all gillnets (including 4-inch or smaller mesh), dip nets and beach seines are not allowed.

District 3 (including Russian Mission and Holy Cross):

Subsistence fishing is closed.

Effective 2 p.m. Wednesday, June 24 until 8 a.m. Thursday June 25, subsistence salmon fishing will open with dip nets and beach seines only to target summer chum salmon. All Chinook salmon must be released alive.

During subsistence salmon fishing closures, all gillnets (including 4-inch or smaller mesh), dip nets and beach seines are not allowed.

Innoko River:

Subsistence fishing is currently open with 7.5-inch or smaller mesh gillnets and fish wheels.

Effective 6 p.m. Wednesday, June 24, gillnets are restricted to 6-inch or smaller mesh size and fishing is open 24 hours a day, seven days per week.

District 4 (Grayling, Anvik, Kaltag, Nulato, Koyukuk, Galena, and Ruby): Subsistence fishing is closed and will remain closed until further notice

The period from 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 23 to 6 p.m. Wednesday June 24 was cancelled in a previous announcement.

Effective 6 p.m. Tuesday, June 23, during subsistence salmon fishing closures, fish wheels may not be operated and all gillnets (including 4-inch or smaller mesh), dip nets and beach seines are not allowed.

Koyukuk River (Huslia, Hughes, Alatna, Allakaket, and Bettles):

Subsistence salmon fishing in the Koyukuk River is currently open with 7.5 inch or smaller mesh gillnets.

Effective 6 p.m., Tuesday, June 23 gillnets will be restricted to 6 inch or smaller mesh. Fishing will remain open 24 hours a day, seven days per week.

A subsistence fishing permit is required for all species in the Koyukuk River above Bettles including the community of Wiseman.

Subdistricts 5-A, 5-B, and 5-C (Tanana and Rampart):

As previously announced, subsistence salmon fishing closes effective 6 a.m., Tuesday, June 23. During subsistence salmon fishing closures, fish wheels may not be operated and all gillnets (including 4-inch or smaller mesh), dip nets and beach seines are not allowed.

Subdistrict 5-D (Stevens Village, Beaver, Fort Yukon, Venetie, Birch Creek, Chalkyitsik, Circle, Central, Eagle):

Subsistence fishing is currently open with 7.5-inch or smaller mesh gillnets.

Effective 6 p.m., Tuesday, June 23 subsistence salmon fishing will close and remain closed until further notice. During subsistence salmon fishing closures, fish wheels may not be operated and all gillnets (including 4-inch or smaller mesh), dip nets and beach seines are not allowed.

A subsistence permit is required to fish for all species in portions of Subdistricts 5-C and 5-D from the western most tip of Garnet Island upstream to the mouth of Dall River (Dalton Highway bridge area) and from the upstream mouth of 22 Mile Slough to the U.S./Canada border.

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

Subsistence fishing is currently open with 7.5-inch or smaller mesh gillnets.

Effective 6 p.m., Tuesday, June 23 subsistence salmon fishing will close. During subsistence salmon fishing closures, fish wheels may not be operated and all gillnets (including 4-inch or smaller mesh), dip nets or beach seines are not allowed.

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.

Old Minto Area:

Subsistence fishing is currently open 24 hours a day with 7.5-inch or smaller mesh gillnets.

Effective 6 p.m., Wednesday, June 24 subsistence salmon fishing will close. During subsistence salmon fishing closures, fish wheels may not be operated and all gillnets (including 4-inch or smaller mesh), dip nets or beach seines are not allowed.

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.

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 closed and will remain closed until further notice.

Subdistrict 6-C Whitefish and Sucker Personal Use Fishing

Personal use whitefish and sucker fishing with gillnets and fish wheels is closed until further notice in Subdistrict 6-C of the Tanana River. 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 (Subdistrict 6-A and 6-B), and in the Upper Tanana River Area, a subsistence permit is required for salmon fishing. A personal use permit is required to fish for salmon and other species from the mouth of the Wood River upstream to the mouth of the Salcha River (Subdistrict 6-C). Fishermen may only use set gillnets and fishwheels in the Personal Use salmon fishery.

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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