Norton Sound Subdistricts 2 3 Chum Salmon Stock Status And Fishery Overview 2019 PDF Download

In response to the guidelines established in the Policy for the Management of Sustainable Salmon Fisheries (SSFP; 5 AAC 39.222), the Alaska Board of Fisheries (board) classified the Norton Sound Subdistrict 1 (Nome) chum salmon Oncorhynchus keta stock as a stock of management concern and Subdistricts 2 (Golovin) and 3 (Elim) as a stock of yield concern at its September 2000 work session. Action plans were developed by the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (department) and acted upon by the board in January 2001. The SSFP directs the department to assess salmon stocks in areas addressed during the board regulatory cycle to identify stocks of concern and, in the case of Subdistricts 1-3 chum salmon, to reassess the stock of concern status. In 2004, the classification for Subdistrict 1 chum salmon as a stock of management concern and for Subdistricts 2 and 3 chum salmon as a stock of yield concern was continued by the board at its January 2004 meeting. A majority of chum salmon escapement goals were achieved in Subdistrict 1 from 2002 to 2006. Hence, in January 2007, the board classified the Subdistrict 1 chum salmon stock as a yield concern, rather than a management concern. In 2010, the department recommended continuation of classification of this stock as a yield concern, which was supported by the board at its January 2010 meeting. Likewise, the Subdistricts 2 and 3 chum salmon stock has been maintained as a yield concern classification. Since 2004, the subdistrict-wide escapement goal has been met in Subdistrict 1, except for 2009, when assessed escapement fell 7% short of the lower end of the escapement goal range of 23,000 to 35,000. Escapements within individual rivers of Subdistrict 1 have been variable. Subdistricts 2 and 3 chum salmon runs have been more volatile and have only reached sustainable escapement goals (SEGs) in 2 of the last 5 years. Based on the definitions provided in the SSFP, the department recommends continuing the stock of yield concern classification for Norton Sound Subdistrict 1 and Subdistricts 2 and 3 chum salmon.