Announced on May 18, 2020, “the Federal Subsistence Board closed the Federal public waters of the Kuskokwim River to the harvest of Chinook Salmon by non-Federally qualified subsistence users, and limited the pool of Federally qualified subsistence users eligible to harvest Chinook Salmon, with approval of FSA 20- 01,02,03 during the Board meeting on May 1st, 2020.

In consultation with the Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, the Alaska Department of Fish & Game, Office of Subsistence Management, Western Interior RAC, and Yukon Kuskokwim Delta RAC, the Federal In-season Manager has closed Federal public waters of the Kuskokwim River main-stem within Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge (Refuge) boundaries to the harvest of Chinook Salmon with gillnets by Federally qualified subsistence users effective at 12:01 am, June 1, 2020. Other means and methods (rod and reel, dipnets, beach seines, and fish wheels) remain open in the mainstem to the harvest of Chinook Salmon by Federally qualified subsistence users.

Salmon-bearing tributaries within the Refuge boundaries are closed to the harvest of Chinook Salmon with all means and methods by Federally qualified subsistence users beginning 12:01 a.m., June 1, 2020. Salmon-bearing tributaries are the Eek, Kwethluk, Kasigluk, Kisaralik, Tuluksak, and Aniak within the boundaries of the Refuge.

The Federal In-season Manager will announce any mainstem gillnet opportunities for Chinook Salmon by Federally qualified users in future news releases. This closure has been implemented by Federal Emergency Special Action (3-KS-01-20) under the delegated authority of the Federal Subsistence Board”.

View the full news release here.