Districts Affected: Lower Yukon River
The Pilot Station sonar cumulative passage estimate through July 26 is approximately 16,000 fall chum salmon. Because of the variability in pulse timing, it is difficult to project the fall chum salmon run strength before the first quarter point, which averages around July 31. Based on the performance of the summer chum salmon run, this year’s Yukon River fall chum salmon run size is projected to be near 650,000 which indicates there will be a small surplus available for commercial harvest.
The preliminary fall season combined commercial harvest for Districts Y-1 and Y-2 through July 22 is 10,439 fall chum, 116 coho, and 150 Chinook salmon.
District Y-1
The next fall season commercial fishing period in District Y-1, including the
Set Net Only Area, will be open on Wednesday, July 29, from 8:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. This will be a 10-hour commercial fishing period with gillnets restricted to 6 inch mesh size or less.
During the fall season, subsistence salmon fishing in the lower river districts remains open continuously except for 12 hours before, during, and 12 hours after commercial fishing periods.
In District Y-1, subsistence salmon fishing will close at 8:00 p.m. Tuesday, July 28, and reopen at 6:00 a.m. Thursday, July 30.
Fishermen are reminded that after initial registration is completed; commercial fishermen intending to transfer between Districts Y-1 and Y-2 are required by regulation to wait 72 hours before fishing. The waiting period begins once you have notified the department in Emmonak of your intentions to transfer.
Recorded fishery announcements and updates will be available 24 hours a day when calling 949-1731 or
1-8...
. If you have any questions regarding this report, please call the Alaska Department of Fish and Game in Emmonak at 949-1320. The Fish and Game office stands by on VHF channel 7a.
This has been an announcement by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game in cooperation with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
