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Commercial Fishery Targets Chum On The Yukon

Shane Iverson
/
KYUK Public Media

The first commercial fishing opening on the Lower Yukon River's District 2 took place Wednesday, targeting chum salmon. Kwik'Pak Fisheries, after initially saying they were not going to buy salmon in the Y-2 district, did have a barge at Mountain Village and a tender a little ways up the river. Acting Manager Doug Donegan at Kwik' Pak says that they are open for business.

For fishermen further upriver from Mountain Village, there is a new fish buyer on the scene. Fish People, a seller and fishmonger based in Portland, has registered with the Alaska Department of Fish and Game as a buyer. They will reportedly buy salmon on a limited basis.

State fish biologists report that nearly 1 million chum salmon have entered the Yukon River. Managers authorized fishing in District 1 of the Lower Yukon with beach seine and dip nets for one more opening on Wednesday, June 21, from 3 p.m. to 3 a.m. on Thursday, June 22.

State biologists plan to open District 1 of the Yukon River for two four-hour openings for 5.5 inch or smaller gillnets starting at 9 p.m. Saturday and 9 p.m. Sunday. Any king salmon caught in the nets cannot be sold; they must be used for subsistence.