Federal Subsistence Fishery for Chinook Salmon

YAKUTAT, Alaska – Yakutat District Ranger Lee Benson, under authority delegated by the Federal Subsistence Board, announces that Federal Subsistence Fishing Permits will not be issued for the taking of Chinook salmon in the Situk River unless the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) estimates that the Situk weir count of large, three ocean-age and older, Chinook salmon will be within their biological escapement goal (BEG) range and they reopen the State’s subsistence fishery in the Situk-Ahrnklin Inlet. ADF&G has set the BEG range for large Chinook between 450 and 1,050, and has forecasted a run of 684 in 2016. Federal permits will still allow subsistence fishing for other fish species in the Situk River but will not allow the use of gillnets or bait when fishing with rod and reel gear to minimize the incidental mortality. All incidentally-caught Chinook must be immediately released back into the water with as little handling as possible.

The return of Chinook salmon to the Situk River has been below goals in recent years. In 2010, 2011, 2012, and 2015, ADF&G personnel counted only 167, 240, 322, and 174 through the Situk weir.

This permit restriction follows similar actions taken by ADF&G to provide for conservation of Chinook salmon returning to the Situk River. Effective 12:01 a.m. Thursday May 12, 2016, ADF&G prohibited the retention of Chinook salmon when sport fishing in the Situk River or subsistence fishing in the Situk-Ahrnklin Inlet. The State will also not allow the retention of Chinook salmon in the Situk-Ahrnklin Inlet set gillnet fishery unless the BEG is assured.

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