Hunting & Fishing

The lone muskox stranded on Triangle Island has been harvested and the meat taken to Mekoryuk.

A muskox is stranded on Triangle Island, a small piece of land about three miles north of Nunivak Island. There’s little food and no fresh water on the small island. And the state doesn’t expect the animal to survive for long.

By federal emergency order, a large portion of the Kuskokwim River will be closed to gillnets this summer to conserve King salmon.

The Yukon River salmon forecast for the summer is out.

State and federal managers predict the Chinook run size will be similar to last year, remaining below the historic average. The summer and fall Chum run size is predicted to be above average. And Silvers could hit an above average run size this summer.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is predicting a similar Chinook run size in the Kuskokwim as last year.

Part of that prediction is based on a recent report from the Department measuring how many Chinook returned to the Kuskokwim last summer.

Conservation and stock rebuilding will once again be the path forward this summer for salmon management, with managers making decisions during the season, based on how many fish show up.  

Tuesday the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service will hear what you want federal managers to do about the Kuskokwim salmon fishery this summer. At the Bethel Cultural Center from 6 to 8 p.m., the federal agency will listen to public input on management requests it’s received for the coming fishing season.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game will close the entire Kuskokwim River drainage, including all tributaries, to sport fishing for king salmon from May 1 through July 25.