PO Box 2898 Palmer, AK 99645
Tel: 907-272-3141 Toll free: 877-999-8566
Fax: 907-272-3142 E-mail: serena@yukonsalmon.org
Greetings from the Yukon River Drainage Fisheries Association!
Here is a summary of the 12th 2021 Yukon River Salmon In-Season Management Teleconference held Tuesday, August 17, 2021. Call lasted 93 minutes. 50 callers participated.
Background: Yukon River salmon management teleconferences are held annually every Tuesday in June, July, and August for managers and fishers throughout the Yukon River drainage to discuss fishing conditions and management strategies in real time as the salmon run is occurring. Funded by the Office of Subsistence Management and the Yukon River Panel.
Media present: None
Political Representatives participating: Samuel from Senator Sullivan’s office.
Communities participating:
Alakanuk
Pilot Station
Marshall
Russian Mission
Allakaket
Tanana/Rapid
Rampart
Beaver
Eagle
Nenana
Dawson
Whitehorse
Yukon River Organization reports:
Yukon River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission: No report.
Elizabeth MacDonald – Yukon Salmon Sub-Committee Executive Director:
We are still waiting on the response from the Minister. Still planning on not fishing. We’ve been hearing requests from people on hosting meetings to see how we can best save our fish. Covid update – still limited to 6 people. School is starting next week. Chinook escapement likely will not be met for the third year in a row. 2nd year in a row for fall chum. The sacrifice is huge, and I truly hope that we will not be here in the next 4-6 years doing this again.
Management Reports:
Bonnie Borba – ADF&G Yukon River Area Research Biologist: The fall chum salmon cumulative catch per unit effort for both LYTF and MVTF projects as of August 16 are well below their respective averages. Age, sex and length data are collected from LYTF and used to look at inseason run characteristics. So far this fall season the age-4 chum salmon represent 92% which compares to an average of 62% for this date. The age-5 chum salmon represent 6% in the sample compared to an average of 37% for this date. The average length of chum salmon is 554 mm which are smaller than the historical average of 592 mm. Through August 15, the female chum salmon represent 45% of the samples compared to the historical average of 56% through this date. The weakness in the age-5 chum salmon this year was anticipated based on the poor return of age-4 last year.
At the mainstem sonar site near Pilot Station the test fish crew collects sex, length, and genetic samples from all chum salmon caught. Genetic mixed stock analysis on chum salmon from July 19 through August 5 that passed the mainstem sonar, contained approximately 64% summer chum and 36% fall chum salmon. The summer chum salmon stocks were primarily Lower River stocks at 37%, while the Middle River and Tanana stocks together represented 27%. The fall chum salmon stocks in the entire sample consisted of 22% Border/US (Teedriinjik/ Sheenjek/ Dranjik), 9% Canadian and 5% Tanana stocks. For fall chum salmon this represented 76% U.S.-origin and 24% Canadian-origin stocks.
The estimated cumulative passage at the mainstem sonar as of August 16 is approximately 86,000 chum salmon which is well below the median cumulative of 424,000 fish for this date. The estimated fall chum salmon component of this count is approximately 43,000 fish after the application of genetic stock proportions. This compares to 96,000 fall chum salmon estimated using genetics last year by this date. The ¾ point of the fall chum salmon run at the mainstem sonar is typically August 19 based on median timing.
The run size projection for fall chum salmon based on inseason assessment projects is 100,000 fish at this time therefore the run remains well below 300,000 fish.
Christy Gleason – ADF&G Yukon River Area Fall Manager – The fall chum salmon cumulative catch per unit effort for both LYTF and MVTF projects as of August 16 are well below their respective averages. Age, sex and length data are collected from LYTF and used to look at inseason run characteristics. So far this fall season the age-4 chum salmon represent 92% which compares to an average of 62% for this date. The age-5 chum salmon represent 6% in the sample compared to an average of 37% for this date. The average length of chum salmon is 554 mm which is smaller than the historical average of 592 mm. Through August 15, the female chum salmon represent 45% of the samples compared to the historical average of 56% through this date. The weakness in the age-5 chum salmon this year was anticipated based on the poor return of age-4 last year.
At the mainstem sonar site near Pilot Station the test fish crew collects sex, length, and genetic samples from all chum salmon caught. Genetic mixed stock analysis on chum salmon from July 19 through August 5 that passed the mainstem sonar, contained approximately 64% summer chum and 36% fall chum salmon. The summer chum salmon stocks were primarily Lower River stocks at 37%, while the Middle River and Tanana stocks together represented 27%. The fall chum salmon stocks in the entire sample consisted of 22% Border/US (Teedriinjik/ Sheenjek/ Dranjik), 9% Canadian and 5% Tanana stocks. For fall chum salmon this represented 76% U.S.-origin and 24% Canadian-origin stocks.
The estimated cumulative passage at the mainstem sonar as of August 16 is approximately 86,000 chum salmon which is well below the median cumulative of 424,000 fish for this date. The estimated fall chum salmon component of this count is approximately 43,000 fish after the application of genetic stock proportions. This compares to 96,000 fall chum salmon estimated using genetics last year by this date. The ¾ point of the fall chum salmon run at the mainstem sonar is typically August 19 based on median timing.
The run size projection for fall chum salmon based on inseason assessment projects is 100,000 fish at this time therefore the run remains well below 300,000 fish.
Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada
Vesta Maker – Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada Biologist: Stepping in for Oliver. Chinook are now in the tail end of the run moving into Canada. Above the mainstem, there are several projects. All reporting numbers lower than normal. Counts down here seem a little higher than 2020, but lower than average. It could be a timing thing. We are also looking at the arrival of the fall chum into Canada.
Jesse Trerice – Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada: I wish we had better news. In season information shows that there will be no harvest share in the US or Canada. We will remain closed.
Community level reports:
CANADA
Whitehorse:
Elizabeth – Weather has been feeling more like fall. It was a wet weekend. River seems high still. I haven’t seen or heard of anyone fishing in the area.
Dennis – nothing more to add other than we’ve been lucky enough to purchase some salmon. It’s been nice to have some in the freezer for the winter.
Dawson: Carly – Feeling like fall with cooler temps. Average water levels. We continue to ask our citizens not to fish. We did not host a community first fish camp this year.
Districts 6a, b & c
Nenana: Victor – raining a lot here. River hasn’t come up. The warm weather we had earlier didn’t cause the river to rise either. Strange.
Districts 5a, b, c & d
Beaver: Rochelle – Nothing much to report. Not many boats on the river. Comment: I don’t think “things don’t look good, and I have nothing to report ” is a very good report.
Question: What do you think the top contributors are in the decline of the salmon and what to do about it besides “stop fishing”
Christy – That is a good question – it is something that we are looking into. We may go through a period of low numbers, but history shows us that there are rebounds, and we are hoping for that. The best thing to do is to make sure we get enough fish on the spawning grounds.
Rochelle – the research that is being done, when will we see that?
Christy – I don’t have a date. We are looking at a really complicated problem. But as soon as we have information we will share it. There are a lot of components of the run that we are lookin at.
Deena – In the river we have researchers out in the Bering sea, which is important because we are seeing low numbers in other places. We don’t have an answer. There are a lot of things to be looking at.
Rochelle – Would you be able to share any of the findings from last year’s report?
Deena – They weren’t able to do the trawl survey because of COVID last year. They’ve seen low numbers of juvenile chinook in the bering sea. What’s going on with the chum is a little harder to pin down. There are better researchers to talk about this.
Rochelle – With this sort of this kind of disaster it seems like we would need all hands on deck.
Gerald – I would also point people to the AYKSSI. They are geared toward the higher powered Bering sea research.
Victor – At the beginning you talked about who pays for this teleconference.
Are they also the ones in charge of subsistence fishing?
Gerald – That’s a good question. USFWS and ADF&G are managing cooperatively. USFWS has adopted F&G regulations for the most part.
Rochelle – Following Victor’s comment, I wanted to mention again, why it is important for us to have that document that shows the structure of who does what. Who is working on that and when can we expect that.
Serena – I think they already answered the question a few calls ago. ADF&G will work on it postseason.
Christy – In the meantime, if there is anything that you need help getting cleared up, I can help you. Please reach out directly.
Rochelle – I am just advocating for all of us. I just think it would be good to have the information in front of us.
Gerald – I recall a few years ago that TCC was putting on these short week-long classes to educate people on how to make change. I think there was really good feedback on them.
Victor – What were those classes again?
Gerald – I think TCC worked with the interior community college.
Brooke Woods – Training sessions are through the Tribal governance program. The next class is around the October 2021 NPMC. I am still trying to finalize. 452-8251 is my number.
Rampart: Denise – Once again we are hearing about a decline in our fish. We were restricted last year, and that didn’t provide any help because now we are worse. What other options are being considered?
Christy – Last year we saw a record low run and those ages were 4 and 5. This year we are seeing another low run of age 4 and age 5. They are independent runs, but what we assume is that whatever is affecting last year’s run is affecting this year’s run. There isn’t a lot more we can do. All fishing has to be closed. The only thing that we can do is to provide as much opportunity that we can for non salmon specific.
Denise – so all of these years of research and all you can do is focus on subsistence?
Christy – It is because Subsistence is the first priority. But what it means is that all fishing is closed.
Denise – my point is that why aren’t we looking at other things. It seems like the subsistence people are shouldering the responsibility to bring back the salmon.
Deena – it isn’t that we aren’t looking at other things. We are looking at environmental and oceanic, and weather. It is unfortunate that we have to close subsistence, but it is what we have to do.
Denise – Were there no commercial openings at any point this year?
Deena – Correct. There may be an opening for white fish, but it would be when the salmon are all done.
Rapids/Tanana: Stan – Water rising and small amounts of drift in the river. 4 fishermen talked to all running 4″ nets 7 days a week just to get enough dog food. All have small dog amounts. Normally whitefish increase this time of year. Most surprising however is the lack of fall chums just like all summer chum season. On a normal year even a small 4″ net would be filling up in short order. I have incidentally caught 7 summer / fall chum all year so far. People starting to get ready to leave camps. Rapids has 3 camps open still but usually only 1 or 2 people in them..
David – Marshall – is Fish and game monitoring intercept fisheries for our stocks?
Deena – Are you asking area M? I couldn’t hear the comments.
Serena – Repeats question.
Deena – Yes, we’ve brought up bycatch on this call before. As for area M, the department is working on putting together some information on that for you this FALL.
Koyukuk River
Allakaket: Pollock – Nothing much to report. Rain and water was high last week. It is raining again. Fishing for white fish and pike. Nobody even talks about fishing. We are waiting for sheefish. Pick berries.
District 3- Lower Yukon
Russian Mission: Basil – Having some good weather today.Its been raining. Everyone is berry picking. One net was set for white fish. He’s getting some white fish so everyone in town can get some fish, and our dogs get the humpies. There were a couple of positive covid tests here. I think everyone is going to start isolating again. Another couple of weeks for berries.
District 2-Coastal/Lower Yukon
Marshall: Norma -Hello from Marshall, the start of the week has been cold, around the 50s, had a couple days of sun also. The water levels were high and steady, and came up a little bit. Still no debris in the river. Berry picking is still in full effect. Last Wednesday went berry picking for blues and some were already breaking – the berries that were along the white moss, but the berries that are covered and growing by long grass were still good.
I have not heard of anyone going dip netting yet. Never smell smoke house smoke in the community yet all summer. One person reported to me that he caught “The big Whitefish ” that we usually see around this time. (Humpback white fish)
Still less cranes this week I think than previous years. What if they got sick and died in other countries where they have less feeding grounds? Like in a documentary I saw in China, a very polluted looking environment.
School is starting up next Monday, Kids are gearing up and getting ready for the annual school camping trip. It was so much fun. I went before and want to go again! They usually get a moose for the school; we also teach them survival skills and cooking in the outdoors!
Still lotsa Pikes. Kwik’pak should start selling dog treats, Pike treats, we dry them in the winter outside, no heat or smoke needed.
Pilot Station: Martin – Nothing to report, but I have a comment. I’ve highlighted and made bullet points on this year’s salmon disaster, and I wanted to share with everyone: The last few years we’ve covered some topics on heat stress. The other thing I’d like to introduce is that we talk about co-management, and I try to make it a collaborative effort to look into the scientific baseline data. The point I am making is that the US geological survey has been conducting studies for 50 years. Climate change and erosion is imminent. You’ve seen the dotted lines on the tundra. It is evident. The point is that the heavy metals that might be diluting into the water because of climate change. I would like the department to look into that baseline. The water temperature – above 68 degrees is lethal for salmon.
Christy – I wanted to let you know that we do look at those studies. We look at them to monitor the water level and temperature, and that goes out daily with our updates.
Coastal District 1-Lower Yukon
Alakanuk: Ray Oney – I’d like to follow up with the intercept comment. Has fish and game been doing genetic studies for Area M? Do you know where those fish are going and where they spawn?
Bonnie – Those are mostly western Alaskan stocks. Very few fall chum salmon (less than 1%).
Ray – I was wondering – where are they bound for?
Bonnie – I don’t think they are being tested at the moment. Until I get the document that they are working on right now, I wont have some of these answers for you.
DISCUSSION
Martin – Other than the fish and games disaster program that they provided last year, I am concentrating on a much worse winter this year. I assume there is more money from the state. I am wondering if there are other things like USDA supplements for people to get some food on their plates.
Serena – I want to clarify that there has been no money from the 2020 fishing disaster request. The funding that you are probably talking about is from the CARES act is the only thing I can think about that would have made it to your accounts.
I wanted to let you know that we’ve been meeting and working on sample letters to be going out soon.
Jeffery – Yukon river camp – water is going down. But receiving a lot of rain. Still no fisherman. Seeing a lot of hunting outfitters.
Unknown Caller- How many fish passed the eagle sonar?
Deena – Chinook – 29,877
———Call ended at 2:33 p.m.——–