Yukon Delta National Wildlife Refuge fisheries managers have announced two 12-hour drift and set gillnet fishing opportunities for early August. The openers will apply downstream of the Kalskag Line to the refuge boundary at the mouth of the Kuskokwim River.
The openers for federally qualified subsistence users will occur from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Aug. 5, and from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Aug. 10.
During the openers, fishers can retain all species of salmon. Nets will be restricted to 6-inch or less mesh, and must not exceed 45 meshes in depth. Below the Johnson River, nets have to be less than 50 fathoms (300 feet) in total net length. Above the Johnson, nets must be shorter than 25 fathoms (150 feet). Tributaries and the Aniak Box will remain closed to gillnet fishing.
After the two openers, managers say that federal public waters of the Kuskokwim River, downstream of the Kalskag Line to the refuge boundary at the mouth of the river, will be closed to gillnet use to protect coho salmon. Refuge manager Spencer Rearden said in an email that coho numbers are building in the river, and that he hopes to learn about run strength from the harvest estimates and fisher reports. The Bethel Test Fishery is currently the main in-season assessment tool available to managers, as sonar operation ended at the end of July.
In addition to the gillnet openers, federal managers have also announced that beginning at 12:01 a.m. on Aug. 1, rod and reel fishing is open for all species of salmon until further notice in all refuge waters, including tributaries and the Aniak Box.
Federal fisheries managers come to management decisions in consultation with the Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission and the United States Fish and Wildlife Service.
