2024 End-of-Season Summary

Photo by Kristen Maxie.

In recent decades, salmon returns to the Kuskokwim River have declined, resulting in state and federal fishery disaster declarations and restrictions to harvests. More recently, the combined collapse of Chinook, chum, and coho salmon returns have resulted in further restrictions to subsistence salmon fisheries, profound impacts to Tribal food security, and failure to meet escapement goals.

Our team developed a 2024 End-of-Season Summary to highlight key findings from the past salmon season. At a glance:

• For the ninth consecutive year, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and KRITFC formally co-managed the 2024 salmon runs in federal waters of the Kuskokwim River, providing for conservation and subsistence fishing.

• Chinook, chum, and coho salmon stocks on the Kuskokwim River remained below historic abundance levels in 2024. Sockeye salmon stocks, while relatively plentiful, were not as high as in recent years.

• Various factors over time have cumulatively contributed to salmon declines. These factors, including salmon bycatch and interception, continue to impact regional Chinook and chum salmon stocks.

• Water and weather conditions prevented the operation of key multi-species salmon assessment projects in 2024, including Salmon River-Aniak, Salmon River-Pitka Fork, Kogrukluk River, Kwethluk River, and Takotna River weirs.

We are very grateful for the many people who made KRITFC’s salmon management and monitoring possible in 2024, including our Tribal In-Season Managers, the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge management team, and our seasonal field crews. Quyana, Dogedinh, Chin’an, Tsen’anh, Thank you!

Read our full summary here.