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Federal Subsistence Board schedules public meeting regarding salmon fishing closures on the Kanektok River

USFWS

The Federal Subsistence Board will hold a public meeting on April 19, 2023 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. via teleconference. This meeting is intended to discuss the Fisheries Temporary Special Action Request, also known as FSA23-01, regarding salmon fishing closures on the Kanektok River to non-federally qualified users during June 2023 and June 2024.

FSA23-01 was submitted by the Native Village of Kwinhagak and requests the Federal Subsistence Board to close Federal public waters of the Kanektok River drainage to the harvest of chinook and chum salmon except by Federally qualified subsistence users from June 1 through June 30, 2023, and from June 1 through June 30, 2024.

The request cites that the reasons for the temporary special action request are that chum salmon stocks in Western Alaska are in decline with the poorest returns on record. Escapement goals throughout the Arctic-Yukon-Kuskokwim region are not being met, and there has been a long period of decline of chinook salmon stocks throughout the state. In light of these concerns, the proponent considers that precautionary management actions are necessary due to the lack of available salmon assessment data for the Kanektok River.

The meeting will be held April 19, 2023 from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. (or until the board completes its business).

Teleconference Toll Free: 888-455-7761

Passcode: 3191392

Public hearings on FSA23-01 were conducted on February 15, 2023 and February 21, 2023.

For more information on fisheries special actions and a link to the fact sheet on FSA23-01, go to: https://www.doi.gov/subsistence/fisheries-special-actions

Reasonable Accommodations: The Federal Subsistence Board is committed to providing access to these meetings for all participants. Please make requests in advance for sign language interpreter services, assistive listening devices, or other reasonable accommodations. Please make requests to Kayla Mckinney at 907-786–3880 or subsistence@fws.gov at least seven business days prior to the meeting you would like to attend to give the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service sufficient time to process your request. All reasonable accommodation requests are managed on a case-by-case basis.

Additional information on the Federal Subsistence Management Program may be found on the web at www.doi.gov/subsistence or by visiting www.facebook.com/subsistencealaska.

Francisco Martínezcuello was the KYUK News Reporting Fellow from November 2022 through January 2024. He is a graduate of UC Berkeley School of Journalism. He is also a veteran of the United States Marine Corps.