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ALASKA DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND GAME
Sam Cotten, Commissioner

DIVISION OF SPORT FISH
Tom Brookover, Director

Contact:
Heather Scannell
Yukon River Area Management Biologist
Phone: 907-459-7220

August 31, 2016

MAINSTEM PORCUPINE RIVER CLOSED TO SPORT FISHING FOR CHUM SALMON

The Division of Sport Fish is closing the mainstem of the Porcupine River to sport fishing for chum salmon effective 12:01 a.m. Thursday, September 1, 2016; tributaries such as the Sheenjek, Black, Coleen, and Salmon Trout rivers will remain open. This closure prohibits all sport fishing for chum salmon in the mainstem Porcupine River, including catch-and-release fishing. Chum salmon in the mainstem Porcupine River may not be retained or possessed, and if caught incidentally while fishing for other species may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately.

Porcupine River fall chum salmon stock abundance has been low in recent years when compared to other stocks in the Yukon River drainage. Fall chum salmon escapements into the Canadian Fishing Branch River, a tributary of the Porcupine River, have fallen short of meeting the escapement objective agreed upon by U.S. and Canadian representatives in 4 of the last 6 years.

Restricting the mainstem Porcupine River chum salmon fishery is warranted in order to meet chum salmon escapement goals into Canada. If inseason information from the mainstem Porcupine River sonar and from the Fishing Branch River escapement monitoring projects indicate the fall chum salmon goal will be met, the department may relax sport fishing restrictions.

For additional information contact Heather Scannell, Yukon River Area Management Biologist, 907-459-7220.