Federal Subsistence Board to Hold Public Meeting on Fisheries Special Action Request FSA24-01 Yukon River Salmon

For Immediate Release:
March 22, 2024    

The Federal Subsistence Board (Board) will hold a public meeting on April 15, 2024, from 1:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m. via teleconference. During the meeting, the Board will take action on Fisheries Special Action Request FSA24-01 regarding salmon fishing closures to non-federally qualified users in the Yukon River drainage in 2024.

Fisheries Temporary Special Action Request FSA24-01, submitted by the Yukon River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission, requests the Board to:

Close Federal public waters of the Yukon River drainage to the harvest of Chinook, summer and fall Chum, and Coho salmon except by federally qualified subsistence users in 2024.

Require Federal subsistence fishing schedules, openings, closures, and fishing methods within federal waters to be determined by the Federal Fisheries Manager.

In the request, the proponent cites multiple reasons why the special action is necessary. Yukon River Chinook, Chum, and Coho salmon populations have steeply declined resulting in a failure to meet applicable escapement goals and treaty obligations in recent years. The poor run sizes have led to severe harvest restrictions, resulting in subsistence salmon needs not being met. Needs are unlikely to be met in 2024 based on preseason forecasts and recent year’s run strength. Preemptive closure of Federal waters to non-federally qualified users and uses, and assumption of Federal management, is both warranted and required as necessary for the conservation of declined populations of Yukon River salmon while providing reasonable and sustainable subsistence harvests based on ANILCA Section 815.

Board teleconference meeting information:

April 15, 2024, 1:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.  (or until the Board completes its business)

Teleconference toll-free (833) 436-1163, conference ID: 887 977 631 #

To participate in the Board meeting call the toll-free telephone number provided above. When prompted, enter the conference ID.

The special action request and an associated fact sheet can be found here: https://www.doi.gov/subsistence/special-actions

A public hearing on FSA24-01 was held on March 20, 2024.  

Tribal and ANCSA Corporation Consultations with the Federal Subsistence Board related to FSA24-01 were conducted on March 21, 2024.

Reasonable Accommodations: The Federal Subsistence Board is committed to providing access to these meetings for all participants. Please make requests in advance for sign language interpreter services, assistive listening devices, or other reasonable accommodations. Please make requests to Kayla Mckinney, (907) 786–3880, subsistence@fws.gov, at least 7 business days prior to the meeting you would like to attend to give the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service sufficient time to process your request. All reasonable accommodation requests are managed on a case-by-case basis.  

Information about the Federal Subsistence Management Program may be found on the web at https://www.doi.gov/subsistence or by visiting www.facebook.com/subsistencealaska.

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View full news release here

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