Effective June 26, all king salmon sport fisheries in the Yukon River drainage (excluding the Tanana River drainage) will reopen with a bag and possession limit of one fish and an annual limit of one king salmon 20 inches or greater in length.

The Yukon River King Salmon Management Plan directs the department to manage for the sustained yield of Yukon River king salmon. The department uses the best available data, including preseason run projections, test fishing indices, age and sex composition, subsistence and commercial harvest reports, and passage estimates from escapement projects to assess the run size. Based on preseason run size estimates and a mandatory "first pulse" closure to the lower Yukon River subsistence fishery king salmon sport fishery was closed on May 1. However, a greater than expected number of fish have passed the Pilot Station Sonar resulting in additional subsistence fishing opportunities. Given the better than anticipated king salmon run, the department is justified in lifting the preseason sport fishing closure and providing for some minimal king salmon harvest opportunity.

The department will continue to monitor the 2017 Yukon River king salmon runs as it continues to develop; if subsistence fisheries become further restricted or indicators of abundance suggest the run is weaker than current indicators suggest, the department may again take restrictive action.

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

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