You can get your nets ready. Tomorrow, Saturday, June 24, there will be a gillnet opening on the Kuskokwim main-stem from the mouth of the Kuskokwim River upstream to the Holitna River. The 12-hour opening stretches from noon to midnight. Fishermen are restricted to six-inch mesh or less; nets can be 45 meshes deep and 25 fathoms in length.
Live release gear, like beach seines, hook and line, and dip nets can also be used. Any king salmon caught with this gear type must returned alive back to the water. All fish caught in gillnets during the opening can be kept.
State fishery biologists report that chum and red salmon are currently outnumbering kings on the Kuskokwim, especially in the lower and middle river. Managers are hoping that fishermen will focus on harvesting these salmon species and work to avoid kings.
The opening was announced during a time that state fishery biologists are saying that the king salmon run might not meet escapement goals and that the run could be the lowest ever recorded.
This opening will mark the first gillnet opportunity for Kuskokwim fishermen in two weeks. Federal and tribal managers said that they chose to open the river partially to avoid social unrest and protest fishing.
Fishery managers say that law enforcement will be patrolling the river during Saturday’s opening.