Bulletin: Yukon Area Selective Gear Chum Salmon Subsistence Fishing (Tributaries of District 3, District 4, and Subdistrict 5-ABC)

The Yukon River in-season Fisheries Manager issued a Temporary Special Action opening subsistence harvest and retention of chum salmon with selective gear only in tributaries within Federal public waters from District 3 through Subdistrict 5-ABC of the Yukon River drainage. 

Subsistence chum salmon harvest is allowed in all tributaries at least 500 feet upstream from the Yukon River mainstem. Chum salmon harvest is limited in Federal public waters to federally qualified subsistence users of the Yukon River drainage. Legal gears to harvest chum salmon include dip nets, beach seines, hook and line, and manned fish wheels. Fish-friendly fish wheel construction is required. 

Because of the poor coho salmon run and the poor Canadian components of the fall chum salmon run, subsistence fishing for salmon remains closed in the Yukon River mainstem and tributaries within 500 feet of their confluence with the Yukon River mainstem, excluding the Innoko and Koyukuk River drainages. Coho and Chinook salmon must be released alive from selective gears.

Dates of temporary special action: 

Effective Date:   Wednesday, August 26, 2026, 1:00 p.m. for District 3, District 4, and Subdistrict 5-ABC (excluding the Koyukuk and Innoko River drainages) 

Expiration Date:  Thursday, December 31, 2026, 8:00 a.m. unless superseded by subsequent special action

This action is taken in coordination with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G). The fishing schedules announced here match those issued concurrently by the ADF&G in State waters (Fall Fishery Advisory Announcement #14).

The Temporary Special Action, 03-FC-09-26, can be found online at https://www.doi.gov/subsistence/fisheries-special-actions.

Information about the Federal Subsistence Management Program may be found on the web at www.doi.gov/subsistence or by visiting www.facebook.com/subsistencealaska. 

Missing out on the latest federal subsistence issues? To receive email updates on Federal Subsistence Management Program activities, send a request to subsistence@ios.doi.gov. 

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