2024 Fifth Announcement for Kuskokwim River Fishing Opportunities

Photo by Terese Vicente for the Kuskokwim River Intertribal Fish Commission

For Immediate Release: July 22, 2024

Contact: Spencer Rearden (907) 543-3151 | Spencer_rearden@fws.gov

Kuskokwim River Mainstem Fishing Opportunities

Pursuant to authority delegated by the Federal Subsistence Board, the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge (YDNWR) Manager, as In-Season Manager, hereby announces a gillnet fishingopportunity for Federally qualified subsistence users only downstream of the Kalskag Bluffsand Uknavik Slough (Kalskag Line) to the mouth of the Kuskokwim River at the Refuge boundary (see maps):

Gillnet (Drift and/or set):

• July 23 from 6:00 am to July 31, 2024 11:59 pm

This announcement will supersede the previous announcement and only further liberalizes fishing opportunities. During this opportunity, gillnets are restricted to 6-inch or less mesh and may not exceed 45 meshes in depth and 50 fathoms (300-feet) in aggregate (total set and drift gillnet) length below the Johnson River and 25 fathoms (150 feet) in aggregate (total set and drift gillnet) length above the Johnson River. All species of salmon may be retained during these opportunities. The salmon bearing tributaries and the Aniak Box listed in FSA-YD-24- 01 will remain closed to all gillnets. When this harvest opportunity expires, Federal public waters of the Kuskokwim River, downstream of the Kalskag Bluffs and Uknavik Slough (Kalskag Line) to the mouth of the Kuskokwim River at the Refuge Boundary (see maps), will return to closed to the use of gillnets by all users for the protection of Chinook, Chum and Coho Salmon.

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.