2026 Fishing Season Openers
YNDWR coho closure:
State-managed waters of the Kuskokwim River:
Yukon River salmon fishing closure/opener information:
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The jump in salmon numbers has also inflamed a debate about fishing bans amid reports of illegal harvests. -
The move to close coho fishing comes just days after the Alaska Department of Fish and Game issued its own coho closure, citing drastically reduced numbers at the Kuskokwim River sonar. -
Commercial salmon fishing is a distant memory on the Kuskokwim River. But down the Bering Sea coast, local fishermen with the Independent Fishermen of Quinhagak Cooperative have been fighting to keep a small commercial fishery alive and bring much-needed cash into communities. -
Physical and mental health suffer when salmon, which is important to nutrition, culture, and identity, is no longer available, tribal representatives say. -
Resident hunters can apply for permits beginning at 9 a.m. on July 22 to harvest a group of at least five muskoxen the state says are unlikely to survive. -
The pollock industry’s accidental catch of salmon isn’t new, but it’s landing with new political salience. Here’s a primer, and a tally of the special interest money.
