First Kuskokwim restrictions expected May 21

Salmon strips drying on a rack in Bethel, 2015. (Photo by Daysha Eaton)
Salmon strips drying on a rack in Bethel, 2015. (Photo by Daysha Eaton)

The first fishing restrictions on the Kuskokwim River are expected to go into effect on May 21st as managers are expecting another poor king salmon run. With the lessons learned from 2014, managers hope to bring enough king salmon to spawning grounds and allow for limited fishing along the way.

For the second year in a row, federal staff will manage day-to-day fishing on the Kuskokwim River from the mouth to Aniak.

Neil LaLonde is the refuge manager and in-season manager during the chinook run. He says many people have bought their nets over the winter, and will be ready to fish.

“We feel that if we didn’t go to some type of schedule that harvest should be much greater with the sheer amount of additional 4-inch nets that are available on the river,” said LaLonde.

Managers will close fishing to all but federal qualified subsistence users – that is people who live in communities on or near the Kuskokwim, a provision that’s unique to federal management. Sport fishing will be closed.

A new set of gill net closures is anticipated for several tributaries. As of June 7th, there will be no gill net fishing on the Kwethluk, Kisaralik, Kasigluk, and Tuluksak rivers.

“Those tributaries have not done well specifically in this drainage over the last several years,” LaLonde said.

LaLonde says subsistence fishing is open now with no restrictions on gear until the first closures begin on the lower river on May 21st. He’s planned extensive engagement with the tribes and the recently established Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fisheries Commission and continued work with the state, which runs many of the rivers’ monitoring projects.

The run is forecast to be slightly better than 2014, which saw the lowest subsistence take of king salmon on record, but conservation and making escapement will remain the top priority.

 

 

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