Federal Management Action: Next Subsistence Fishing Opportunity

Photo by Megan Leary.

On Monday, June 27, 2022, the Federal in-season manager at Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge announced more salmon fishing opportunities for Federally qualified subsistence users on the Kuskokwim. These decisions were made in consultation with KRITFC’s Tribal In-Season Managers.

Federally Qualified Subsistence Fishing Opportunities:

View the full emergency special action 3-KS-03-22.

(1) Set Gillnet Opportunity:

• June 29 start at 6:00 am through June 30 at 6:00 pm (36 hours)

• July 3 start at 6:00 am through July 4 at 6:00 pm (36 hours)

Set gillnets are restricted to 6-inch or less mesh, may not exceed 75 feet in length and 45 meshes in depth. Set gillnets may not be operated more than 100 feet from the ordinary high-water mark (the bank/shoreline (where vegetation is growing), must be attached to the bank, and substantially fished perpendicular to shore.

Salmon spawning tributaries listed in emergency special action 3-KS-01-22 remain closed to the harvest of Chinook and chum salmon by all methods and means and by all users.

Throughout the season – and even during gillnet closures – Federally qualified subsistence users can fish the main stem Kuskokwim using alternative methods and means: dip nets, fish wheels, beach seines, and rod and reel.

Justification

Both KRITFC and Yukon Delta NWR are concerned about Kuskokwim Chinook and chum salmon populations. This year’s Chinook salmon run appears to be coming in late and with a total estimated run size similar to 2021, according to Indigenous Knowledge, local observations, and in-season salmon assessment data. Meanwhile, the 2022 chum salmon run appears to be the same as or even worse than last year. It is critical that we do all we can in-river to get as many king and chum salmon as possible to their spawning grounds.

We are also concerned with Kuskokwim fishermen from the mouth to the headwaters getting enough fish to last the winter. Under Title VIII of ANILCA, our Federal partners at Yukon Delta NWR must provide for some continued subsistence opportunity, as long as the health of the fishery can withstand it. Our Tribal-Federal team is committed to providing as much subsistence fishing opportunity as possible, given the state of our declining salmon populations.

We hope this set gillnet fishing opportunity will help Kuskokwim fishermen harvest sockeye salmon, which seem to be swimming up our river in numbers, and protect the future of our Chinook and chum salmon runs. Our Tribal-Federal team will continue to meet throughout the salmon season to discuss future fishing opportunities, including drift gillnet opportunities.

For more information, please call Yukon Delta NWR at 907-543-3151.