Salmon Escapement Monitoring On The Kuskokwim River 2013 PDF Download

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G), in collaboration with other entities, conducted aerial surveys and operated ground-based weir projects to monitor Pacific salmon Oncorhynchus spp., escapement throughout the Kuskokwim Area in 2020. This report presents the results of sampling activities and escapement monitoring from all aerial surveys and weir projects operated in 2020 by ADF&G and the following partner agencies: MTNT Ltd., Kuskokwim River Inter-Tribal Fish Commission (KRITFC), Native Village of Napaimute (NVN), and the National Park Service. Chinook salmon O. tshawytscha escapements were successfully enumerated on 5 tributaries with weirs and 14 tributaries using aerial surveys. Chinook salmon escapement was below the historical average at all locations except for 2 aerial surveys (which were slightly above the historical average). Of the 12 escapement goals for Chinook salmon, a total of 8 were successfully assessed. Of those, 6 goals were met, and 2 goals were slightly below their lower bounds. Chum salmon O. keta were successfully enumerated using weirs on 3 Kuskokwim River tributaries. Chum salmon escapements were below average. The only chum salmon tributary escapement goal was assessed and met. Sockeye salmon O. nerka were successfully enumerated on 3 tributaries using weirs and 2 tributaries using aerial surveys. Sockeye salmon escapement was above the historical average at 2 of the sites assessed and below average at the other 3. Two of the 4 escapement goals for sockeye salmon were successfully assessed. One escapement goal was met, and the other was exceeded. Coho salmon were successfully enumerated on 1 tributary using a weir. Coho salmon escapement were above average. There were no coho salmon escapement goals evaluated. There was no effort to monitor coho salmon escapement in Kuskokwim Bay due to funding constraints in 2020.