Yukon District 2 subsistence closes for fall chum and coho Thursday as treaty goals fall short

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game closed directed subsistence fishing for fall chum and coho salmon in Yukon River District 2 effective 12:01 a.m. Thursday, July 16, affecting communities including Mountain Village, St. Mary's, Pilot Station, Pitkas Point, and Marshall. The closure begins at the start of the fall management season, which was moved up by three days after the Board of Fisheries designated fall chum salmon as a Stock of Management Concern.

The 2026 fall chum run is projected to be greater than 300,000 fish, a level that falls within the escapement goal range of 300,000 to 600,000 fish. But ADF&G Yukon Area Management Biologist Matt Olson said the run is not expected to meet Canadian treaty goals even at that level, making a directed subsistence opening highly unlikely this season.

What Fishing Remains Open

Nonsalmon fishing with 4-inch or smaller mesh gillnets is restricted to noon Thursday through noon Sunday each week, with nets capped at 60 feet and operated as set nets near shore. Ten designated off-mainstem locations, including rivers, sloughs, and lakes away from the Yukon River mainstem, remain open to 6-inch mesh set gillnets for whitefish and other nonsalmon species. The mainstem remains closed to 6-inch mesh gillnets. Any salmon caught in selective gear must be released immediately.

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued a parallel federal special action covering the same schedule and restrictions for waters adjacent to federal land.