2020 Yukon River Salmon Summer Fishery Announcement #36 District 6 Subsistence and Personal Use Fishing Schedule

Districts Affected: Upper Yukon Area

The drainage-wide Chinook salmon run size was below average this season, and genetic results indicated the stocks that spawn in the U.S. tributaries may have been weaker than average as well. The current counts of Chinook salmon at the Chena River tower and sonar project are low and indicate that the escapement goal may not be met. Like other areas of the drainage, Chinook salmon harvests are being limited. Fishing will be limited to selective gear (e.g. manned fish wheels and dip nets) as the majority of the Chinook salmon run moves through the Tanana River. Fishermen may keep chum and non-salmon species, but must release all Chinook salmon alive.

07/20/2020
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

In the subsistence fishery, dip nets, beach seines, and fish wheels may be used. Fish wheels must be closely attended. Chinook salmon may not enter a live box and must be immediately returned to the water. As a reminder, fishing for non-salmon species is allowed during open and closed periods; however, gillnets must have 4-inch or smaller mesh.

Subsistence Management Actions

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 will open for one 42-hour period with 7.5-inch or smaller mesh gillnets and fish wheels from 6 p.m. Friday, July 17 to 12 p.m. noon Sunday, July 19.

Effective 6 p.m. Monday, July 20, subsistence fishing will open with dip nets, beach seines, and live release fish wheels on the regulatory schedule of two 42-hour periods per week from:

6 p.m. Mondays to 12 p.m. noon Wednesdays 6 p.m. Fridays to 12 p.m. noon Sundays

All Chinook salmon must be released alive immediately. 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 will open for one 5-day period with 7.5-inch or smaller mesh gillnets and fish wheels from 6 p.m. Friday, July 17 to 6 p.m. Wednesday, July 22.

Effective 6 p.m. Friday, July 24, subsistence fishing will open with dip nets, beach seines, and live release fish wheels on the regulatory schedule of one 5-day period per week from:

6 p.m. Fridays to 6 p.m. Wednesdays

All Chinook salmon must be released alive immediately.

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 fishing will open for one 42-hour period with 7.5-inch or smaller mesh gillnets and fish wheels from 6 p.m. Friday, July 17 to 12 p.m. noon Sunday July 19.

Effective 6 p.m. Monday, July 20, personal use fishing will open with dip nets and live release fish wheels only on the regulatory schedule of two 42-hour periods per week from:

6 p.m. Mondays to 12 p.m. noon Wednesdays 6 p.m. Fridays to 12 p.m. noon Sundays

All Chinook salmon must be released alive immediately. Beach seines are not legal gear in the personal use fishery.

Subdistrict 6-C Whitefish and Sucker Personal Use Fishing

Fishing for whitefish and suckers in this area remains open 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, subject to permit stipulations.

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 fish wheels 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/.

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