Bulletin: Yukon Area Fall Salmon Closure and Non-Salmon Schedule (District 4 and Koyukuk River Drainage)

The Yukon River in-season Fisheries Manager issued a Temporary Special Action closing the harvest of fall chum and coho salmon for all users in the Federal public waters of District 4 and the Koyukuk River drainage.

In the mainstem and all areas where salmon are migrating, gillnets are restricted to 4-inch or smaller mesh, limited to 60 feet in length, and must be operated as a set net. These non-salmon gillnets are being placed on a schedule and allowed from noon Thursdays to noon Sundays to reduce incidental harvest of fall chum, Chinook, and coho salmon.

Selective gear (manned fish wheels, dip nets, beach seines, and hook and line) may be used for pink salmon, sockeye salmon, and non-salmon species. Fish-friendly fish wheel construction is required. 

Practice respectful and safe fish handling techniques and ensure any Chinook salmon, chum salmon, or coho salmon caught in selective gear types are released alive so they may continue upriver to their spawning grounds. If you are catching species closed to fishing in a 4-inch gillnet, please move it to avoid catching these species closed for harvest. 

To provide more efficient harvest opportunity for non-salmon in areas without migrating salmon, this special action also allows the use of 6-inch (or smaller) mesh set gillnets to target non-salmon in limited areas carefully selected based on databases and Indigenous and local knowledge to avoid salmon spawning or migration zones. Refer to Temporary Special Action 03-FC-04-26 for a detailed list and map. These 6-inch opportunities for non-salmon harvest are not allowed in the mainstem rivers or streams, or any main channels where salmon are present. 

Dates of temporary special action: 

Effective Date:  Wednesday, July 22, 2026, 12:01 a.m. fall salmon closure and 4-inch set gillnet schedule for Subdistrict 4-A Lower 

                              Wednesday, July 22, 2026, 12:01 a.m. 6-inch set gillnets for list of non-salmon harvest areas in District 4 and the Koyukuk River drainage

                              Sunday, July 26, 2026, 12:01 a.m. fall salmon closure and 4-inch set gillnet schedule for Subdistrict 4-A Upper and Koyukuk River drainage

                              Wednesday, July 29, 2026, 12:01 a.m. fall salmon closure and 4-inch set gillnet schedule for Subdistrict 4-BC

Expiration Date:  Thursday, December 31, 2026, 8:00 a.m. unless superseded by subsequent special action

This action is taken in coordination with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G). The fishing schedules announced here match those issued concurrently by the ADF&G in State waters (Fall Fishery Advisory Announcement #4).

The Temporary Special Action, 03-FC-04-26, can be found online at 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. 

Missing out on the latest federal subsistence issues? To receive email updates on Federal Subsistence Management Program activities, send a request to subsistence@ios.doi.gov.  

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