ADF&G Salmon Fishery Announcement #3: Opening Sections 4-5

Read the full fishery announcement here. Released June 9, 2022.

This is an announcement from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) in Bethel for subsistence fishermen in the Kuskokwim Area.

Subsistence Sections 4 and 5 (From a line between regulatory markers at the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge boundary near Aniak to the headwaters of the Kuskokwim River):

• Subsistence fishing will open with 6-inch or less mesh gillnets (set or drift), not to exceed 25 fathoms in length and 45 meshes in depth beginning 12:01 a.m. June 12, 2022, until further notice.

• King salmon may be retained if caught with fish wheels, dip nets, beach seines, and hook and line beginning 12:01 a.m. June 12, 2022 until further notice.

• Aniak Box: The waters of the Kuskokwim River from the Yukon Delta NWR boundary at Aniak upstream to a line formed between two points lat 61° 35.308ʹ N, long 159° 29.167ʹ W and lat 61° 34.731ʹ N, long 159° 28.939ʹW (Figure 1) will remain closed to subsistence fishing with gillnets until further notice. Subsistence fishing with hook and line, fish wheels equipped with a live box or chute, beach seines and dip nets is allowed, but all king salmon caught must be returned to the water alive. These closed waters are in place to help provide protection for king salmon bound for the Aniak River.

As previously announced:

• Subsistence fishing with gillnets closed in Sections 4 and 5 on June 9, 2022.

• Subsistence fishing with gillnets and harvest of king salmon in selective gears will continue to be closed in the Aniak River drainage to the ADF&G regulatory markers at its confluence with the Kuskokwim River.

• Sections 1-3 will remain closed for state subsistence fishing until further notice.

For additional information concerning this advisory announcement contact Nicholas Smith 907-543-2709 or Ross Renick 907-543-2331.