Enough kings made it into the Yukon River to meet the predicted minimum this season. Now that most of the kings are headed well up the waterway, the data indicates that the run, after struggling, came in at 74,000. This is just above the minimum preseason prediction of 71,000. There were fewer older fish than predicted with the 5 to 7-year fish numbers low, but the proportion of 4 to 6-year kings were above average. The proportion of females in the run was well above average at 51 percent.
Now that the fall season is in effect, the set-net only area in District 1 of the Yukon opened for a commercial fishery for nine hours on Monday. The remainder of the district also had a 6-hour commercial gillnet opening on Monday. Following those commercial openings, the subsistence fishery will reopen at 10 a.m. on Tuesday morning.
In District 2, commercial fishing will open for one final 12-hour period for the summer season from noon to midnight today. Gear is restricted to six-inch or smaller mesh gillnets. Fishermen should stand by for fall commercial announcements in District 2.
Subsistence fishing in District 2 will open Wednesday, July 18at 3 a.m. for the fall season of 24/7 fishing. Subsistence fishing will close for commercial periods when they are announced. Subistence fishermen may use 7.5 inch or smaller mesh gillnets.
