Federal Fishing Announcement #5: Drift and set net opportunities

Photo: Terese Vicente/KRITFC

For Immediate Release: July 10, 2025

Contact: Spencer Rearden

907-621-6120, Spencer_Rearden@fws.gov

Kuskokwim River Mainstem Fishing Opportunities

Pursuant to authority delegated by the Federal Subsistence Board, the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge Manager, as In-Season Manager, hereby announces additional fishing opportunities for Federally qualified subsistence users only: Lower Kuskokwim Fishing Opportunity: In the Kuskokwim River main stem, from the Refuge boundary at the mouth of the Kuskokwim River to the Kalskag Line (see maps), gillnet will be allowed effective:

Drift/Set

  • July 12, 2025 from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm (12 hours).

  • July 19, 2025 from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm (12 hours).

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. All species of salmon may be retained during this opportunity. The salmon bearing tributaries, and the Aniak Box listed in FSA-YD-25- 01 will remain closed to all gillnets. When these two harvest opportunities expire, Federal public waters of the Kuskokwim River, downstream of the Kalskag line and to the mouth of the Kuskokwim River will return to closed to the use of drift gillnets by all users for the protection of Chinook, Chum and Coho Salmon.

SET NET ONLY

  • July 12, 2025 from 7:01 pm to July 26, 2025 10:00 pm.

Set gillnets are restricted to 6-inch or less mesh, may not exceed 45 meshes in depth, and 75 feet in length. All species of salmon may be retained during this opportunity. The salmon bearing tributaries, and the Aniak Box listed in FSA-YD-25- 01 will remain closed to all gillnets. When this harvest opportunity expires, Federal public waters of the Kuskokwim River, downstream of the Kalskag Line and to the mouth of the Kuskokwim River will return to closed to the use of gillnets by all users for the protection of Chinook, Chum and Coho Salmon.

Fishing with gillnets above the Kalskag Line; and fishing with rod and reel within the Aniak Box remains open until further notice (details stated in the 2025 Second Announcement released June 18, 2025).

Information about the Federal Subsistence Management Program may be found on the web at www.doi.gov/subsistence or by visiting www.facebook.com/subsistencealaska.

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Kalskag Line

Aniak Box