Yakutat Set Gillnet Fishery PDF Download

This management plan provides an overview of the expected salmon runs, spawning escapement goals, harvest projections, and management measures to be used during the 2020 Yakutat commercial set gillnet fisheries. The Yakutat set gillnet fishing season and fishing periods will open by regulation as described in 5 AAC 30.310 and 5 AAC 30.320, or by emergency order. The Alsek River will open June 7, Dangerous River and Yakutat Bay will open June 14, Situk-Ahrnklin Inlet, and Manby Shore Outside Waters will open June 21. All Yakutat District fisheries will be opened by Sunday, June 28, except for the East Alsek, Akwe, and Italio rivers which will open by emergency order when desired sockeye salmon escapement levels can be documented. The Yakataga District coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch) fisheries will also open by emergency order. Set gillnet fisheries are managed by adjusting fishing times and areas in response to inseason assessments of run strength. Management strategies will focus on sockeye (Oncorhynchus nerka) and Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in June and July. Following the first Sunday in August, fall fishing periods will go into effect and the management emphasis will transition to coho salmon. No formal preseason forecasting exists for the Yakutat salmon runs except Situk River Chinook salmon. Canada provides numerical forecasts for Alsek River sockeye and Chinook salmon. The 2020 Situk River Chinook salmon preseason forecast is for a total run size of 850 large fish. Continued poor productivity of these stocks warrants conservative fishery management in 2020. Returns are expected to be below average to above average for sockeye and coho salmon.