Yukon River Salmon 2021 Season Summary And 2022 Season Outlook PDF Download

The Yukon River Joint Technical Committee (JTC) of the United States and Canada meets twice a year to analyze and discuss harvest and escapement goals, management trends, postseason reviews, preseason outlooks, and results of cooperative research projects for Canadian-origin Yukon River salmon. This report summarizes the status of Chinook Oncorhynchus tshawytscha, coho O. kisutch, and summer and fall chum salmon O. keta stocks in 2021, presents a 2022 season outlook, and provides data about salmon harvests in commercial, subsistence, First Nations, personal use, domestic, and sport or public angling fisheries. Summaries of Yukon River research projects are also included. For 2021, the preliminary estimate of Chinook salmon (mainstem) spawning escapement in Canada was 31,452 fish, which was below the interim management escapement goal (IMEG) range of 42,500–55,000 fish. A preliminary estimate of the total Canadian-origin Chinook salmon run was 32,972 fish. The preliminary estimate of fall chum salmon spawning escapement in the Canadian mainstem Yukon River was approximately 23,170 fish, which was below the IMEG range of 70,000–104,000 fish. The preliminary estimate of fall chum salmon spawning escapement in the Fishing Branch River (Porcupine River), obtained from a weir count was 2,413 fish, which was below the IMEG range of 22,000–49,000 fish. Recommended interim management escapement goals for Canadian-origin mainstem fall chum salmon and Fishing Branch (Porcupine River) fall chum salmon in 2022 remain the same as for 2021. The JTC recommended a new escapement goal for Canadian-origin Yukon River Chinook salmon of 52,500 with an acceptable deviation range of 42,500–62,500. The Yukon River Panel will be presented with the new Chinook salmon escapement goal recommendation for consideration at their 2022 pre-season meeting.