Bulletin: Yukon Area Selective Gear Chum Salmon Subsistence Fishing (Tributaries of Coastal District and Districts 1–2)

The Yukon River in-season Fisheries Manager issued a Temporary Special Action opening subsistence harvest of chum salmon with selective gear only in tributaries within Federal public waters from the Coastal District through Districts 1 and 2 of the Yukon River drainage. 

Subsistence chum salmon harvest is allowed in all tributaries at least 1 mile upstream from the ocean coast and 500 feet upstream from the Yukon River mainstem. Legal gears to harvest chum salmon include dip nets, beach seines, hook and line, and manned fish wheels. Fish-friendly fish wheel construction is required. This chum salmon harvest opportunity is limited in Federal public waters to federally qualified subsistence users of the Yukon River drainage.

Because of the poor coho salmon run and the poor Canadian components of the fall chum salmon run, subsistence fishing for salmon remains closed in the Black River and the Yukon River mainstem, tributaries within 1 mile of their confluence with the ocean coast, and within 500 feet of their confluence with the Yukon River mainstem. 

Coho and Chinook salmon must be released alive from selective gears.

Dates of temporary special action: 

Effective Date:       Wednesday, August 26, 2026, 1:00 p.m. for Coastal District, District 1, and District 2

Expiration Date:     Thursday, December 31, 2026, 8:00 a.m. unless superseded by subsequent special action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 #13).

The Temporary Special Action, 03-FC-08-26, 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. 

-###-