Federal management and closures in the lower river lifted today, but State closures remain in place until July 31 with fishing opportunities this weekend.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Federal in-season manager, after consultation with KRITFC In-Season Managers, will lift the federal 2021 Chinook salmon conservation closures (see ESA 3-KS-01-21, 3-KS-02-21, and 3-KS-03-21) and relinquish federal management starting Thursday, July 22, at 12:01am. This means that beginning early this morning, the State of Alaska Department of Fish & Game began managing fisheries throughout Kuskokwim drainage.

As decided at the ADF&G Working Group meeting yesterday, the lower Kuskokwim River (from the Kalskag Bluffs downriver) will remain closed to the use of gillnets until Saturday, July 31. Fishermen and women have the following opportunities to fish this weekend:

– Friday, July 23, 6 am to 10 pm: Drift or set nets.

– Friday, July 23, beginning at 10pm until Sunday, July 25 at 11:59pm: Set nets only.

On Friday between 6 am and 10 pm, drift or set nets must be 6” or less mesh, 300 feet or less in length below the Johnson River and 150 feet or less above, and 45 meshes in depth or less. Between 10 pm Friday and 11:59 pm Sunday, set nets must be 6” or less mesh, 100 feet or less in length, 45 meshes in depth or less, and not set 100 feet above the ordinary high water mark. Please remember to write your name, address, and phone number on your set net buoy.

We will be continuing to monitor the 2021 chum salmon return for the rest of the season.

Please visit ADF&G’s Kuskokwim website to read Fishery Announcement #11 for full details.