First Announcement for Federal Fishing Opportunities, June 2025

Photo by Wilson Twitchell.

For immediate release: May 16, 2025

Contact: Spencer Rearden, 907-543-3151, spencer_rearden@fws.gov

View or download the .pdf announcement here.

Kuskokwim River Mainstem Fishing Opportunities

Pursuant to authority delegated by the Federal Subsistence Board, the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge (YDNWR) In-Season Manager, hereby announces five gillnet fishing opportunities within the YDNWR boundary in the Kuskokwim River mainstem for Federally qualified subsistence users only*:

Set gillnet:

June 3, 2025 07:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
June 6, 2025 07:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.
June 9, 2025 07:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.

During these three opportunities, gillnets are restricted to set gillnets with 6-inch or less mesh, 75 feet or less in length, and may not exceed 45 meshes in depth. Additionally, set gillnets must be attached to the bank, oriented perpendicular to the river and may not be operated more than 100 feet from the ordinary high-water mark.

Gillnet (drift and/or set):

June 12, 2025 07:00 a.m. to 07:00 p.m.
June 16, 2025 07:00 a.m. to 07:00 p.m.

During these two opportunities, gillnets are restricted to 6-inch or less mesh and may not exceed 45 meshes in depth and 50 fathoms (300-feet) in aggregate (total set and drift gillnet) length below the Johnson River and 25 fathoms (150 feet) in aggregate (total set and drift gillnet) length above the Johnson River.

Attached with this news release are two maps of the gillnet fishing and closure areas. Federally qualified subsistence users may retain all salmon during these opportunities. After each gillnet opportunity expires, Kuskokwim waters revert to closed under FSA-YD-25-01. Additional harvest opportunities for federally qualified subsistence users may be announced by subsequent news releases.

The salmon bearing tributaries and areas listed in FSA-YD-25-01 will remain closed to gillnets and the harvest of Chinook, Chum, and Coho Salmon during these gillnet opportunities. Fishing from tributaries not listed in FSA-YD-25-01 is restricted to fishing 100 yards upriver from the mouth of the river (confluence with the main stem Kuskokwim River).

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*Federally qualified subsistence users are year-round, full-time residents of villages in the Kuskokwim River watershed. For more information, contact our office at 907-545-7388 or Spencer Rearden, YDNWR Manager.