KRITFC In-Season Managers and staff at the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge met the afternoon of June 21 to review the latest data from subsistence fishing reports, Bethel Test Fish, and Bethel sonar. We decided at that meeting that, based on this data showing low numbers of king and chum salmon, there will be no subsistence harvest opportunity using gillnet gear announced this week for federal waters of the Kuskokwim. Our collaborative management team wants to wait for more information about king and chum salmon numbers – which both appear to be poor– before allowing for more fishing with gillnets.

KRITFC and USFWS plan to meet this Friday, June 25, to review more data and discuss a possible future fishing opportunity. In the meantime, we will be participating with ADF&G’s Kuskokwim River Salmon Management Working Group, reviewing BTF and sonar data, and listening to local observations to keep up to date with fish returns on the Kusko.

Although the mainstem remains closed to gillnet fishing, Federally Qualified Subsistence Users can still fish for non-king salmon species on the mainstem using alternative means and methods (dip nets, fish wheels, beach seines, and hook and line). Any king salmon caught using one of these methods must be returned to the water alive. Subsistence fishers can also fish for all salmon in non-salmon spawning tributaries (i.e., the Johnson River or the Gweek River), the Kuskokwim Bay, and above the Kalskag Line.

Please check back with the KRITFC and YDNWR Facebook pages, websites, and KYUK for fishing announcements. Quyana, Tsen’ahn, Thank you for being a part of our work to conserve our salmon and salmon fishing cultures.