by Greg Lincoln
Thank you to the folks at the Kuskokwim River InterTribal Fish Commission who gave this June 11th salmon catch update on fishing in the Kuskokwim (from the Mouth to Aniak). More fishing information can be found at KRITFC’s website kuskosalmon.org.
Since June 1, when the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service closed the federal waters of the Kuskokwim to salmon fishing using gillnets, there have been 3 set net opportunities for Federally qualified subsistence users. Summaries of harvests from each of these opportunities are below.
Federal Waters (From the Mouth to Aniak)
On Wednesday, June 2, there were an estimated:
29 set net trips
30 Chinook salmon harvested
0 sockeye salmon harvested
0 chum salmon harvested
30 total salmon harvested
On Saturday, June 5, there were an estimated:
91 set net trips
310 Chinook salmon harvested
50 sockeye salmon harvested
20 chum salmon harvested
380 total salmon harvested
On Wednesday, June 9, there were an estimated:
107 set net trips
480 Chinook salmon harvested
20 sockeye salmon harvested
0 chum salmon harvested
500 total salmon harvested
There was an opening on Saturday, June 12 and there will be another one on Tuesday, June 15, from 6:00am to 6:00pm. Federally qualified users have an opportunity to set or drift with 6-inch gillnet gear in federal waters of the Kuskokwim. Below the Johnson River, nets can be a maximum length of 50 fathoms (300 feet); above the Johnson, nets can be a maximum length of 25 fathoms (150 feet). Note that this length requirement is per fisherman, not per household.
