ADF&G has announced a state fishing opening in federally-managed waters of the Kuskokwim River on Monday, June 28. However, under USFWS Emergency Special Action 3-KS-01-21, federal management of the Kuskokwim River salmon fishery from the mouth to Aniak began on June 1, and under that ESA, the mainstem of the Kuskokwim River is closed to the harvest of all salmon by using gillnets by all users. The ADF&G opener is therefore in violation of federal management action that closed the mainstem Kuskokwim for conservation concerns.

Regardless of ADF&G’s Fishery Announcement #7, IT IS ILLEGAL to fish on the mainstem Kuskokwim using gillnet gear on June 28. Federal law enforcement is on the river, and you may be at risk of citation if you fish on June 28.

KRITFC In-Season Managers and USFWS have been reviewing in-season data and considering local and Traditional Knowledge to see if we can have another fishing opportunity for Federally Qualified Subsistence Users. In the meantime, fishers can legally harvest king, red, and chum salmon and non-salmon species on non-salmon tributaries (e.g., the Johnson, Pailleq, and Gweek Rivers). Non-king salmon species can be legally harvested from the mainstem using non-gillnet gear (i.e., dip nets, beach seines, fish wheels, and hook and line).

Please check back with the KRITFC and Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge Facebook pages and websites or call the Refuge at 543-3151 with any questions. Quyana, Tsen’ahn, Thank you for being a part of rebuilding our salmon runs.