Federal Management Action: Aniak Box Rod & Reel
Federal Management Action: Aniak Box Rod & Reel
Photo by Terese Schomogyi/KRITFC.
On Tuesday, June 28, 2022, the Federal in-season manager at Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge, in consultation with KRITFC’s Tribal In-Season Managers, released emergency special action 3-KS-04-22. This special action opens fishing with rod and reel in the Aniak Box Closure Area starting June 29, 2022, at 6:00 am until further notice, with a bag limit for Chinook salmon and mandatory release for chum salmon. This fishing opportunity is only for Federally qualified subsistence users.
This action is specific to the area along the Kuskokwim shoreline in Aniak. All other sections of ESA 3-KS-01-22, 3-KS-02-22, and 3-KS-03-22 remain in effect except for the section below, pertaining to the Aniak Box Closure Area.
Federal Subsistence Fishing Opportunity
Aniak Box: The waters of the Kuskokwim River near Aniak, from a line formed between two points lat 61° 35.264ʹ N, long 159° 33.459ʹ W and lat 61° 35.611ʹ N, long 159° 33.260ʹ W due north to a point on the southeast corner of the sandbar (latitude 61° 35’ 37” N, longitude 159° 33’ 16” W) which is approximately the upstream boundary of the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge will remain closed to subsistence fishing with gillnets, fish wheels, beach seines, and dip nets until further notice.
Graphic from Alaska Department of Fish & Game.
Subsistence fishing with rod and reel within the Aniak Box area is open to Federally qualified subsistence users with the following bag limit beginning 6:00 a.m. June 29, 2022 until further notice.
2 Chinook Salmon per day and 2 in possession;
All Chum Salmon caught must be returned to the water alive;
All other salmon (other than Chum Salmon) may be retained.
Justification
The subsistence users of Aniak have very limited locations to use gill nets. In addition, the Aniak River and the Aniak Box Closed Area (directly in front of the town) has been completely closed to retention of Chinook Salmon during conservation periods in recent years. It is estimated that this subsistence opportunity could result in roughly 300 Chinook Salmon being harvested during this summer’s opportunity. This limited harvest will benefit local subsistence users without jeopardizing escapement goals.
For more information, please call Yukon Delta NWR at 907-543-1008 or 907-543-3151.