Hunting & Fishing

With the run the lowest it’s been in decades and unlikely to meet state escapement goals, managers have refused local residents' requests to loosen restrictions.

The Kuskokwim season begins Sept. 1.

Upper river residents say that their harvest would not have a large impact on what is on track to be the lowest Kuskokwim silver run on record.

Anticipated federal action could still allow for some subsistence openings in the lower river.

In an unprecedented move, the federal government has announced plans to take over management of silver salmon in the federal waters of the lower Kuskokwim River for the first time ever. That’s if the silver run stays low.

People along the Yukon River are facing food insecurity in the wake of chinook and salmon crashes for the second year in a row. But this year, sky-high costs of groceries due to inflation has made the situation worse.

For the first time in two years, there will be no commercial salmon fishing in Kuskokwim Bay. That’s because there’s no fish processor available. The Independent Fishermen of Quinhagak Cooperative says that the lack of commercial fishing income is hurting communities.

Nome residents had two main asks for North Pacific Fisheries Management Council members. First, to reduce salmon bycatch in the Bering Sea fisheries to zero. Second, to create tribally designated seats on the council.

The state has chosen to relax restrictions since most of the chinook and chum run has passed through the lower river. So has the sockeye run.

The handoff will occur at 12:01 a.m. on Thursday, July 21.