Federal fishery managers have announced opportunities for subsistence users to harvest silver, or coho, salmon on the Kuskokwim River mainstem using gillnets and rod and reel gear. The gillnet opening will be Thursday, Aug. 3. These openers come as federal management extends deep into the season for the first time on the river.
The gillnet opener is:
- A 12-hour drift net and set net opener on Thursday, Aug. 3 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Gillnets are restricted to 6-inch or less mesh and may not exceed 45 meshes in depth and 300 feet in aggregate length (total set net and drift net) below the Johnson River, and 150 feet in aggregate length above the Johnson River. Federally qualified subsistence users may retain all salmon during these periods. But salmon-bearing tributaries listed in prior announcements will remain closed to gillnets for all salmon, and to all methods and means for chinook and chum salmon for all users.
The silver salmon rod and reel opener is:
- A 24/7 rod and reel opener to target silver salmon that began Tuesday, Aug. 1 at 12:01 a.m. in all tributaries within the Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge (YDNWR).
This includes all federal waters mentioned in the federal order [SA-YD-23-01] (including salmon-bearing tributaries), as well as waters of the Aniak Box on the Kuskokwim River mainstem within YDNWR boundaries.
Federally qualified subsistence users may retain chinook salmon in the Aniak Box. All users must immediately release all chum and chinook salmon in all other salmon-bearing tributaries listed in the federal order.
