Yukon River gillnet closures spread as Chinook and chum run far below average

Salmon fishing closures have spread across all Yukon River fishing districts, with all-gillnet closures now covering Subdistricts 4-B and 4-C, after Alaska Department of Fish and Game data confirmed both Chinook and summer chum salmon are running well below historic averages in 2026.

As of June 22, Pilot Station sonar estimated Chinook passage at 40,754 fish against a historic average of 69,494. Summer chum passage at the same station was estimated at 103,260 fish, well below the historical cumulative median of 380,186. The Lower Yukon Test Fishery showed a sharp shortfall as well, with a cumulative catch per unit effort of 367.53 against a historic average of 983.11. Personal use fishing in Subdistrict 6-C, covering Fairbanks, North Pole, and Salcha, closed June 28 until further notice. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service issued matching federal special actions applying the same restrictions in waters adjacent to federal public lands.

The pattern is not new. A 2025 U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Yukon River Fisheries Program review found that "Subsistence fishing for Chinook and summer chum salmon remained closed for the entire season." The Yukon River Panel established a seven-year suspension of directed Chinook fisheries running from 2024 through 2030, calling for "Suspension of directed Chinook commercial, sport (recreational), domestic and personal use fisheries in Alaska and Canada for seven years (2024 to 2030)."

ADF&G has launched a three-year radio telemetry study tagging up to 250 Chinook near Rampart Rapids to investigate en-route mortality.