Situk River Federal subsistence Chinook Salmon fishery closed

YAKUTAT, Alaska – Yakutat District Ranger Lee Benson, under authority delegated by the Federal Subsistence Board, has announced that the Situk River will be closed to the harvest of Chinook Salmon from 12:01 a.m. Saturday, June 1, 2019 through 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, July 30, 2019 due to forecasted low returns. 

05/13/2019
Last edited 01/25/2022
Contact Information

Paul Robbins Jr.

Public Affairs Officer

Tongass National Forest

(907) 228-6201

paul.robbins@usda.gov

The use of bait and gillnets is prohibited in the Situk River when fishing for other species during this closure to minimize the incidental mortality of Chinook Salmon. Incidentally, caught Chinook Salmon may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) has also taken action to close State commercial, sport, and subsistence fisheries to conserve returning Situk River Chinook Salmon. ADF&G has set the biological escapement goal for the Situk River drainage at 450-1,050 large (>28 inches) Chinook Salmon. The return of large Chinook Salmon to the Situk River has been below the goal in six of the last nine years. The goal was achieved in 2013, 2014, and 2017 after restrictive management measures were implemented. The 2019 forecast is for 300 large Chinook.

For additional information, please contact Lee Benson at 907-784-3359. Information on the Federal Subsistence Management Program can be found on the web at http://www.doi.gov/subsistence/index.cfm.

View Full News Release

-end-

Was this page helpful?

Please provide a comment