Districts Affected: Norton Sound, Northern Norton Sound
Coho salmon runs are showing average to above-average strength for mid August throughout most areas of Norton Sound. In the Nome Subdistrict, however, coho salmon escapements are at a near record low for this date. As of August 19, the cumulative coho salmon escapement at the Nome and Snake River weirs is 101 cohos and 7 cohos, respectively. Nome River weir coho passage is the third poorest on record and the Snake River count is the second lowest since 2001 when both projects began enumerating coho salmon runs.
Calm, dry August weather and low water levels have most likely contributed to the poor escapements of coho salmon and this year’s run will most likely have very late run timing. However, weir counts and historical run-timing information indicate that Nome Subdistrict coho salmon run strength is not sufficient to both reach escapement needs and support a subsistence gillnet fishery even if the run is late. Restrictive action is necessary in order to ensure that enough coho salmon reach the spawning grounds to provide for future returns. Therefore, effective 6 p.m. Saturday, August 22, the marine and fresh waters of the Nome Subdistrict will close to subsistence fishing with gillnets. The sport fishery will also close effective 12:01 a.m. Monday, August 24.
Hook and line subsistence fishing remains open for the time being. However, a closure to the subsistence hook and line fishery may coincide with the sport fishery closure early next week unless inclement weather can dramatically increase escapements of coho salmon over the next few days. Weather permitting, the Department will fly aerial surveys of the lower reaches of Nome Subdistrict drainages over the next few days. Lower river aerial surveys and the latest weir counts will be evaluated to determine if there are enough coho salmon in river to provide for hook and line subsistence and meet escapement needs.
