Yukon Area Salmon Fishery Closure in Subdistrict 4-BC and the Koyukuk River

For Immediate Release                                                                                      Contact: 
June 10, 2024                                                                                                   Holly Carroll
                                                                                                                             USFWS
                                                                                                                             Yukon River Inseason Manager 
                                                                                                                             907-351-3029 
                                                                                                                          

YUKON AREA SALMON FISHERY CLOSURE IN SUBDISTRICT 4-BC AND THE KOYUKUK RIVER

EMERGENCY SPECIAL ACTION
Under Authority of: 36 CFR 242.10 and .19, 50 CFR 100.10 and .19

Emergency Special Action No: 2-KS-04-24 Issued at: Fairbanks, Alaska, June 10, 2024

Effective Date: Sunday, June 16, 2024, 8:00 p.m. for Y4-BC
Tuesday, June 18, 2024, 8:00 p.m. for the Koyukuk River drainage
Expiration Date August 15, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. unless superseded by subsequent special action

EXPLANATION:
The Federal Subsistence Board closed 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, effective on June 1, 2024, through September 30, 2024, with specific Federal subsistence fishing schedules, openings, closures, and fishing methods to be determined by the US Fish and Wildlife (USFWS) Federal Fisheries Manager.

This Emergency Special Action closes the Federal public waters of Yukon subdistrict Y4-BC, which includes the communities of Galena and Ruby, and the Federal public waters of the Koyukuk River, which includes Huslia, Hughes, Allakaket, Alatna, Evansville, Bettles, Coldfoot, and Wiseman, to the subsistence harvest and retention of Chinook and summer chum salmon. This closure prohibits all directed subsistence fishing for Chinook and summer chum salmon and closes Federal public waters in this district to gear larger than 4-inch stretched mesh and longer than 60 feet. If salmon are caught, they should be released alive but may be legally retained if dead. The use of fish wheels is not allowed during salmon closures.

REGULATION:
50 CFR 100.27(e)(3) Subsistence taking of fish—Yukon-Northern Area is amended to read:(ii) Federal public waters of the Yukon Northern Area and the Yukon River drainage are closed to the harvest of Chinook, summer and fall chum, and coho salmon except by Federal qualified subsistence users, effective on June 1, 2024, through September 30, 2024. Federal subsistence fishing schedules, openings, closures, and fishing methods will be determined by the Federal inseason Fisheries Manager.

Subsistence fishing is currently open 24 hours a day, seven days per week with 7.5-inch or smaller mesh gillnets.

50 CFR 100.27(e)(3) Subsistence taking of fish—Yukon-Northern Area is amended to read:
(ii) In federal public waters of the following areas:
Subdistrict 4-B and 4-C (including Galena and Ruby):
Effective 8 p.m. Sunday, June 16, Chinook and chum salmon fishing is closed. Gillnets larger than 4-inch are not allowed. Gillnets of 4-inch or smaller mesh may be used to target nonsalmon and are restricted to 60-feet or less in length and must be operated as a set net near shore.

Koyukuk River (including Huslia, Hughes, Allakaket, Alatna, Evansville, Bettles, Coldfoot, and Wiseman):
Effective 8 p.m. Tuesday, June 18, Chinook and chum salmon fishing is closed. Gillnets larger than 4-inch are not allowed. Gillnets of 4-inch or smaller mesh may be used to target nonsalmon and are restricted to 60-feet or less in length and must be operated as a set net near shore.

Dip nets, beach seines, and hook and line gear may be used for nonsalmon and pink and sockeye salmon; however, Chinook and summer chum salmon must be released alive.
 

If you are catching Chinook or chum salmon in 4-inch gillnet, please move it to avoid catching these species. Later in the season, the use of 4-inch gillnets will be closed for a two-week period in order to reduce any incidental catch of Canadian-origin Chinook salmon.
 

JUSTIFICATION:
The drainagewide Chinook salmon outlook is for a run size of less than 70,000 fish, and the Canadian-origin Chinook salmon outlook for passage at the border is less than 15,000 fish. There is unlikely to be any escapement goals met for Chinook salmon and closures will likely be required for the duration of their migration. The summer chum salmon outlook is for a run size of 550,000 to 1.8 million fish, with a range of 162,000 to 542,000 fish. While the drainagewide escapement goal of 500,000–1.2 million summer chum could be met, closures are warranted until run projections indicate goals can be met and a surplus is available for subsistence harvest. Pursuant to Section 816 of ANILCA, this Emergency Special Action (2-KS-04-24) closes fishing for Chinook and summer chum salmon in the Federal public waters of the Yukon River coastal area and Yukon River drainage due to concerns about the viability of these populations. Closures are required until inseason run strength estimates indicate a harvestable surplus above escapement needs. Large mesh gillnet closures may be likely throughout most of the summer season to avoid incidental harvest of Chinook salmon. Salmon fishing closures in the lower river are issued based on the historical timing of Chinook Salmon arrival in the area. These closures will be implemented up river based on fish migration timing.

CONSULTATION AND OUTREACH:
The Yukon River salmon outlooks and management strategies were discussed at the Eastern Interior, Western Interior, and Yukon Kuskokwim Delta Regional Advisory Council meetings; Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association (YRDFA) annual Preseason Fisheries Meeting; Yukon River Panel; and Yukon River Intertribal Fish commission meeting. The Federal manager held formal preseason management strategy Government-to-Government Tribal Consultation meetings with Yukon River drainage Tribal Governments on April 1 and 2. Tribal Consultations will continue when possible and when requested by Tribal Governments. The Federal fishery outlook and management strategy was sent to all Yukon Tribal and City governments on May 10. Approximately 3,500 copies of the ADF&G and USFWS Preseason Outlook flier were mailed to Yukon River fishing households in May.
This action was taken following coordination with the ADF&G fishery managers. The fishing schedules announced here match those issued concurrently by the ADF&G in state waters (Summer Fishery Advisory Announcement #6). The Federal Subsistence Regional Advisory Council Chairs for the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta, Eastern Interior, Western Interior, and Seward Peninsula Regional Advisory Councils were notified as was the Chair and vice-chair of the Yukon River Intertribal Fish Commission. Review was provided by the Office of Subsistence Management.

Federal Subsistence Board by delegation to: Holly C Carroll
Holly Carroll
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Yukon River Inseason Fisheries Manager
Northern Alaska Fish and Wildlife Field Office

For additional information concerning Yukon River Federal Special Actions contact Yukon River Federal Manager Holly Carroll at (907) 351-3029.

For information concerning State management actions, contact Yukon River Summer Season Manager, Deena Jallen, and Fall Season Manager, Christy Gleason, in Fairbanks at (907) 459-7274 or in Emmonak at (907) 949-1320.

If you’d like to receive emails and notifications on the Federal Subsistence Management Program you may subscribe for regular updates by emailing fws-fsb-subsistence-request@lists.fws.gov. Fishery special actions can be found online here: https://www.doi.gov/subsistence/fisheries-special-actions

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

See Special Action for more information and detailed maps