Districts Affected: Yukon River Area
Fall Season Assessment
The unusual weather pattern has continued to persist this past week with predominately offshore southeast winds. Many people in the lower river attribute the slow movement of fall chum salmon to the lack of favorable strong onshore westerly winds. Typically, these onshore winds have been associated with an increase in salmon abundance as fish often enter the river in response to wind and tidal surge. Unusually low and warm water conditions in the Yukon River itself may also be affecting catches by changing fish movement patterns during upstream migration.
Only two pulses of salmon have entered the river so far this fall season. As previously reported, the first pulse that began entering the river on July 30 was small, contained approximately 33,000 fall chum salmon, and is expected to be near the community of Ruby today. A second more significant pulse of salmon began entering the mouth of the Yukon River on August 8. The Pilot Station sonar estimated the pulse to be comprised of approximately 104,000 fall chum and 34,000 coho salmon. Based on typical travel speed, the pulse should be in the vicinity of Anvik today.
The Pilot Station sonar cumulative passage estimate through August 16 of 174,000 fall chum salmon is well below the average of 473,000 for this date which is the second lowest on record for the project since 1995. On average, August 17 is the three-quarter point in the fall chum salmon run. However, fall chum salmon run timing can be quite variable and four of the previous five years have had late run timing relative to the historical average midpoint. The run is assessed to be weak and well below expectations with the current range of projected run size is between 300,000 to 400,000 fall chum salmon. Production observed so far in this year’s 4-year old age class from the 2005 brood year, indicates a 0.19 return per spawner production rate which is the absolute lowest on record and well below a typical chum salmon return of 1.5 to 2.0 returns per spawner.
In contrast, the coho salmon run is off to a good start. The Pilot Station sonar cumulative passage estimate of 62,000 through August 16 is above the average of 38,000 coho salmon for this date which is at approximately 30% in run timing. Similarly, fishermen have been reporting more coho than fall chum salmon in some of their recent subsistence catches. The department and cooperating fishermen have been conducting additional test fishing to supplement assessment project information because there is little consistent subsistence fishing effort in the lower river with which to compare catches as is done in the summer season. The additional catches agree with other assessment projects in that there is an unusually high abundance of coho salmon relative to fall chum salmon.
Scammon Bay Offshore Test Fishery-drift net project / ADF&G, YDFDA
This feasibility project ended on August 12. The total fall season catch was 16 chum and 1 coho salmon since July 16.
The cumulative fall chum salmon CPUE is 197.18 through August 16 which is well below the average of 955.55 for this date. The cumulative coho salmon CPUE is 130.24 which is below the average of 231.97 for this date.
Mountain Village Drift Test Fishery- 5-7/8” mesh / Asacarasarmiut Traditional Council, BSFA
The cumulative CPUE for fall chum salmon is 1,135.71 through August 16 which is below the average of 1,615.76 for this date. The cumulative coho salmon CPUE is 429.36 which is above the average of 374.75 for this date.
Pilot Station Sonar / ADF&G, YDFDA, AVCP/USFWS
The Pilot Station sonar project transitioned to fall season on July 19. Through August 16, the cumulative passage is approximately 174,000 fall chum salmon which is below the average of 473,000 for this date. The cumulative passage estimate for coho salmon is 62,000 which is above the average of 38,000 for this date. There have been two significant pulses of fall chum salmon detected at the site, the first beginning on August 1 and the second on August 9. Low catches of fall chum salmon have made species apportionment difficult, particularly during the second major pulse. The passage estimates over this period have been adjusted to compensate for reduced catchability of salmon. The project has attempted fishing down river and has also contracted a local commercial fisherman to drift a 50 fathom net through the fishing area. Both were ineffectual at increasing catches. The 50 fathom net will be attempted again when salmon passage increases.
Rapids Test Fish Wheel/Stan Zuray
The standardized start date for this project is July 21 based on the USFWS historical tagging date. At this site there is also overlap between summer and fall chum salmon however the cumulative count for chum salmon through August 16 is 590 which is below the historical average of 4,466 fish for this date.
Y-5A Test Fish Wheel/Pat Moore
The test fish wheel began fall season counts on August 12. After four days of operations, daily passage is low with a cumulative total of 71 chum salmon which is below the average of 123 through August 15. No coho salmon have been caught to date.
Nenana Test Fish Wheel/Kleinschmidt
The test fish wheel is anticipated to begin fall season operations this week.
Chandalar River Sonar/USFWS
The sonar project began counting on August 8 and as of August 16, approximately 3,292 fall chum salmon have passed the Chandalar River sonar.
Sheenjek River Sonar/ADF&G
The sonar project operations were delayed due to fires and counting began on August 15. As of August 16, 157 fall chum salmon have passed the sonar.
Eagle Sonar/ADF&G and DFO
The project continues to operate for the summer season as the Chinook salmon run is nearing completion. The preliminary passage estimate for Chinook salmon through August 16 is 69,501 fish which is above the average of 58,148 for this date. The Eagle sonar project will be transitioning to fall chum salmon assessment this week.
Commercial Harvest
The preliminary fall season harvest total for Districts Y-1 and Y-2 through August 9 is 23,063 fall chum, 5,096 coho, and 236 Chinook salmon. Genetics through all but the last commercial period applied to the fishery suggests that 69% of the catch were lower river chum salmon stocks.
Management Strategies
Fall season management on the front half of the run was initially based on the performance of this year’s summer chum salmon run because of difficulties in predicting run abundance due to the erratic entry patterns of fall chum salmon. Commercial fishing was allowed early in the season on a conservative schedule because only a small surplus of fall chum salmon was projected. When the run timing had reached the average midpoint on August 8, basis for management shifted to inseason assessment. At that time, commercial fishing was halted in the lower river districts because the fall chum salmon run appeared exceptionally late and the abundance very low. Since then, a more substantial pulse of 104,000 fall chum salmon entered the river and the coho salmon runs appears to be building strong. Unfortunately, despite increased passage rates observed last week, the fall chum salmon run has not materialized as expected and continues with an overall slow entry pattern.
The Yukon River Drainage Fall Chum Salmon Management Plan specifies that a minimum run size of 300,000 fall chum salmon is necessary to meet the drainage-wide escapement goal. Therefore, in accordance with the management plan, subsistence fishing time is being reduced in the lower river in an effort to achieve this goal while continuing to provide opportunity to harvest the abundant coho salmon. Similar management actions are intended to be applied sequentially as the salmon move upstream. Subsistence fishing dates and times in the lower river districts will be reduced to the following schedule of two 24-hour periods each week:
District Y-1.
Subsistence fishing will close at 6 p.m. Tuesday, August 18. Subsistence fishing will then reopen for two 24-hour periods per week from 6 p.m. Thursdays until 6 p.m. Fridays and from 6 p.m. Mondays until 6 p.m. Tuesdays.
Districts Y-2 and Y-3.
Subsistence fishing will close at 6 p.m. Thursday, August 20. Subsistence fishing will then reopen for two 24-hour periods per week from 6 p.m. Sundays until 6 p.m. Mondays and from 6 p.m. Wednesdays until 6 p.m. Thursdays.
Coastal District and Innoko River.
Subsistence fishing will remain open 7 days a week, 24 hours a day.
Remaining fishing areas in the Alaska portion of the Yukon River drainage should stay tuned for possible subsistence opening and closing time announcements as early as next week.
A few times this past week concerns over fairness of subsistence fishing periods has been brought up. The fishing schedule has been in place a long time and there has never been a stipulation that opened all subsistence fishing to 7 days per week when commercial fishing occurred in the lower river. The schedules have been in place in regulation for upriver (in general) since about 1976 and the lower river regulations were changed in 1993. Subdistricts Y-4 B&C and Y-5 A, B, and C have had schedules of typically two 48-hour periods per week or like this year five days per week. These schedules were based on letting fish through unharvested while still allowing ample fishing opportunity, and provided room in the schedule for potential concurrent commercial fishing, and fishing conditions being more efficient than other areas. On the other hand Subdistrict Y-5D has been and is open 7 days per week as this area generally has less efficient fishing conditions and commercial opportunity is rare. District 6 has had a two 42-hour periods per week schedule since 1988, and normally this is the schedule all season long if the terminal harvest area has sufficient fish. That being said, there are times when it has been necessary to change fishing times due to unusual circumstances. The recent ten year average (1999-2008) subsistence fall chum salmon harvest in lower river Districts Y-1, Y-2, and Y-3 are 8%, 5%, and 1%, respectively. The recent ten year average subsistence fall chum salmon harvest in upper river Districts Y-4, Y-5, and Y-6 are 10%, 58%, and 18%, respectively.
Current Management
Commercial periods:
No commercial periods are scheduled at this time.
The current subsistence fishing schedules in the Alaskan portion of the Yukon River are as follows:
Coastal District:
open 7 days per week, 24 hours per day, with unrestricted mesh size gillnets.
District Y-1:
Subsistence fishing will close at 6 p.m. Tuesday, August 18. Subsistence fishing will then reopen for two 24-hour periods per week from 6 p.m. Thursdays until 6 p.m. Fridays and from 6 p.m. Mondays until 6 p.m. Tuesdays.
Districts Y-2 and Y-3:
Subsistence fishing will close at 6 p.m. Thursday, August 20. Subsistence fishing will then reopen for two 24-hour periods per week from 6 p.m. Sundays until 6 p.m. Mondays and from 6 p.m. Wednesdays until 6 p.m. Thursdays.
Subdistricts Y- 4A, Y-4B, & Y-4C
: open 5 days per week from 6:00 p.m. Sundays to 6:00 p.m. Fridays. That portion of Subdistrict Y-4A upstream of Stink Creek is open to the use of drift gillnet gear for chum salmon.
Subdistricts Y-5A, Y-5B, & Y-5C
: open 5 days per week from 6:00 p.m. Tuesdays to 6:00 p.m. Sundays.
Subdistrict Y-5D:
Subsistence fishing is open 7 days per week, 24 hours per day.
District Y-6: open for two 42-hour periods each week from Monday 6 p.m. to Wednesday 12:00 noon and Friday 6 p.m. to Sunday 12:00 noon.
Old Minto Area:
open 5 days per week from Fridays 6:00 p.m. to Wednesdays 6:00 p.m.
Innoko River:
open 7 days per week, 24 hours per day.
Koyukuk River:
open 7 days per week, 24 hours per day.
During the subsistence salmon fishing closures, all gillnets with a mesh size greater than four inches and a length greater than 60 feet must be removed from the water.
Fishermen are encouraged to consult the State of Alaska commercial and subsistence fishing regulations and the federal subsistence fishing regulations before fishing in the Yukon Area.
If you have any questions, please contact the Emmonak ADF&G office at 949-1320. For a 24-hour schedule recording, please call toll-free
1-866-479-7387
. Additionally, announcements are available at the following web address: http://www.cf.adfg.state.ak.us/region3/yukhome.php
